Darjeeling, July 21: Artists from Darjeeling have created a niche for themselves in the Nepalese music industry, but back in the Hills their future is bleak and the industry could die a natural death for want of proper marketing.

Jiwan Prakash Pradhan of Rhythm Music, a recording studio here, said: ?Our market base is very limited and we can only sell around 1,000 cassettes here. We face major problems with our dealers, who are not sincere. Even the hype regarding the music industry in Nepal has dented the sale of cassettes.?

With Kathmandu having 24-hour satellite channels and lots of opportunities, singers from Nepal are more popular in Darjeeling.

?But when artists from the Hills go to Nepal, they are not received well,? said Pradhan.

Karma Yonzone, a legendary figure in Nepali music also, echoed Pradhan, but maintained that ?the Hills still have talents?.

Plans are being mooted to help the music industry in Darjeeling Hills and Pradhan is working towards bringing together artists based here for a larger cause.

Well-known singers like Suresh Kumar, who has churned out hits after hits here, is showing the way by bring out albums in Hindi.

The experiment of established stars like Kumar could help change things. ?We are trying to market Waada, an album that pays tribute to Kishore Kumar, overseas also,? said the singer.

The cassette was launched yesterday at a modest function and the titans of the music industry are hopeful that the effort could show a new way to singers of the region.