Nikhil Ghosh studied first with the great Calcutta teacher Jnan Prakash Ghosh, and later with Amir Hussain Khan and Ahmedjan Thirakwa. In so doing, he inherited a vast knowledge of old Punjab and Farukhabad compositions. A keen scholar of the drums, his playing reflects that wealth of knowledge. (In this pancham savari (15 count) clip he plays gats by Jnan Babu and Amir Hussain, strung together like pearls on a rela necklace.) Nikhil Ghosh founded the music conservatory Sangit Mahabharati in Bombay, and wrote an interesting book called "Fundamentals of Raga and Tala with a New System of Notation" (1968). He left behind two very talented sons – Nayan (who is equally accomplished as a sitar and tabla player) and Dhruba (brilliant sarangi player) – as well as a daughter, Tulika, who is an accomplished vocalist and disciple of the late Khadim Hussain Khan of the Agra gharana.

Gert-Matthias Wegner's book on Vintage Tabla Repertory contains a great deal of his teacher Nikhil Ghosh's knowledge.