Acknowledging influences, Nikhil Banerjee never appropriated specific musical ideas. His ability to synthesize the finer qualities of these diverse styles to create his own voice, along with his genius and great critical understanding of the music and his instrument made his performances among the most masterful of his era. Technique was never a goal in and of itself but was used as a necessary tool, developed to express the content and essence of the music."

"Thanks to his own innovations, Nikhil Banerjee was able to play with breathtaking speed and power without compromising tone and clarity. Both his command of Raga and his rhythmic ingenuity were beyond question, but the feature which really marked him out was the ability to transform into musical sound moods of love, pathos, and even fury, speaking directly to the heart of the listener."

-Martin Clayton, Professor of Music

Nikhil Banerjee's mastery of technique and incredible command of his instrument was recognized throughout the world of Indian music. Although his technical virtuosity was stunning, it was balanced by a meditative, introspective, and lyrical approach that, owing to his seriousness and dedication, reached a depth of expression rarely achieved by others. A dedicated artist, he was happy to share his exceptional gift. He was known and respected for his wisdom, gentle character, generosity, and commitment to his music. To Nikhil Banerjee, music was a path of self-realization, to be performed in a spirit of prayer. While playing, he would completely immerse himself in the Raga. As he told his students, "Submit to the notes of a Raga, do not strike it, but try to embrace it with the purest feelings of your heart."

Nikhil Banerjee played a significant role in the extraordinary rise in popularity of Indian instrumental music, and the sitar in particular, over the past half century. To many Indian classical music enthusiasts, he was the most outstanding sitar maestro of the modern era. A warm and accessible person, shy and unpretentious, he deliberately shunned publicity. He played with dignity, without flamboyance or theatrics, concerned more with the integrity of the music than the response of his audience. As a result, he received very little media attention.

"Deeply absorbed in his art, he had no interest in becoming a media celebrity. There was a mystical element in his music, a contemplative, detached intensity. His music displayed a rare assimilation of classical exactitude and emotional freedom. Nikhil Banerjee's art was an amalgam of the best in Indian Hindustani music in all its beauty, grandeur, and dignity. His music was more ennobling, more fulfilling, and deeply contemplative. Few artists have been able to bring out its character with such imaginative depth and sensitivity."

-Mohan Nadkarni, music critic
In recognition of his greatness, Nikhil Banerjee was posthumously given one of the Indian government's highest civilian awards, that of Padmabhushan. (Lotus Adorned Master)