Narayan Gopal Guruwacharya(In Nepali: नारायण गोपाल गुरूवाचार्य) (October 4, 1939 – December 5, 1990) was a prominent popular singer and composer of Nepali music. He has been referred to as “Swar Samrat” (Nepali: स्वर सम्राट, meaning: Emperor of Voice) in Nepali music. He was also known as “Tragedy King.” His voice range allowed him to sing songs of every genre of Nepalese music. Often, his songs were orchestrated with the sitar, harmonium and flute. He belongs to the first generation of Nepali singers who became professional singers. His songs have also been used in several movies and dramas across the country.

Personal life(व्यक्तिगत जीवन)
Narayan Gopal Guruwacharya was born into a Newar family in Kilagal Tole, Kathmandu, on October 4, 1939 (18 Asoj, 1996 B.S.). His father was Asha Gopal Gurubacharya and mother was Ram Devi Guruwacharya. He had six brothers and four sisters. He completed his School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exams in 2016 B.S. and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from Tri-Chandra College. Later he also went to Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda to study classical Indian music, but returned without completing his studies. He married Pemala Lama in 1971.

Later he joined the Rastriya Naach Ghar (National Dance Theater) and rose to the post of manager (hakim). He also worked as the editor of a musical journal Bageena (बागीना) for its first three issues. He became the managing director of Sanskritik Sansthan (Cultural Center) and became adviser to the Ministry of Communication on wards; and an associate professor in Lalit Kala Campus. He also wrote a musical drama titled Kanchi Masyang (कान्छी मस्याङ).

Later career
After his short stay in Hetauda, Narayan Gopal returned to Kathmandu and managed to find a job in Rastriya Naach Ghar (National Dance Theater) with the help of his friends Manik Ratna and Janardan Sama. He had entered Naach Ghar as a mere instrumentalist, but he slowly rose to the post of a hakim (rector).

At this stage of his life, he found himself confronting a new generation of Nepali youths. Among the young musical talents of that time, his partnership with Dibya Khaling took off; and he started lending his voice to Khalings compositions, thus initiating another phase of his singing career. Songs like सँधै नै म हाँसे तिमीलाई रुवाई, मायाको आधारमा सम्झौता नै हुन्छ, बिपना नभइ helped to revive his popularity. During this stage he started to collaborate with new breed of songwriters such as Khyetra Pratap Adhikari, Kali Prasad Rijal, Norden Rumba, Dinesh Adhikari, and Bishwambhar Pyaukurel, while his relationship with his old collaborators was neglected. Among the composers of the new generation, he collaborated with the likes of Sambhujit Baskota, Bhupendra Rayamajhi, and Shubha Bahadur. In his late stage of career, he lent his considerable prestige to launch the career of many upcoming musicians. As such, he was willing to compromise his artistry and sing weak songs by new composers and songwriters. He also sang in film songs.

In total his career spanned twenty-eight years, during which he sang in eighteen movies and recorded more than one hundred and fifty-seven songs.

Death
Narayan Gopal died from complications of diabetes on December 5, 1990 (19 Mangsir, 2047 B.S.) in Bir Hospital, at 9 p.m. in Kathmandu, at the age of fifty-one. He had no children. He has six brothers and four sisters.