In his childhood, he initially learnt to play the tabla and then discovered and studied the sarod as his preferred instrument.

[citation needed] Vikash was born in Varanasi in 1957 into a family of musicians(Banaras Gharana).

He was instructed on the sarod by Rajesh Chandra Moitra of the school of Indian classical Maihar gharana.

[3] On initiation by German music journalist and author Joachim-Ernst Berendt, Vikash participated in the crossover Jazz record "Raga" in 1996.

[4] In a second cooperation with Bebelaar, Vikash Maharaj and his son Prabhash contributed to the crossover album "Point of View".