For M.S Neer music was not an alien profession, for his father was the professor for Indian Music at the Khalsa College in Amritsar. It was a year after independence (1948), the Maharajahs and their durbars had still not faded away, and M.S Neer joined the state orchestra of Mahraja Jagjeet Singh of Kapurthala. He had no hesitation in leaving his studies in Engineering for the sake of music.

M.S Neer got intensive training in the stream of western music from Mr. Gregor, a german musician who conducted the orchestra of the Maharajah of Patiala. A stint with the orchestra in the durbar of the king of Malerkotla provided him with an oppurtunity to learn the Indian instrument Sarangi from a proficient instrumentalist Ashtaq Ahmed. His final stint as a court musician was at the place of the Maharajah of Faridkot. In the year 1955, M.S Neer was a B High Class artiste at the All India Radio. He recieved formal training in Hindustani Classical Music under Manohar lal Malik who was also an artiste with the All India Radio.

Manjit Singh Neer joined the Indian Navy in the year 1960 at the Jalandhar Cantonment. His musical training reached its zenith when he attended the Potential Band Master's Course (PBMC) at the Army School of Music, located in the beautiful hill station of Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh. From this institution he got the award of LMME (Licentiate of Military Music Education). In the year 1977, he acquired another distinction by recieving the first position amongst the Indian candidates for the LTCL (Licentiate of Trinity College, London). He played the clarinet for the practicals.

M.S Neer showed his proficiency in Indian classical music by composing and arranging the Military Band to play a melodious Bhajan "Vaishnav Janato" which is based on a Hindustani raaga of "Khamaj Mishrat ". This tune, which has always been a highlight in the Navy Band concerts at home and abroad, was composed by Hon.Lt. Neer while aboard the INS Godavari, which was on a good will visit to New York (for the centenary celebrations of the Statue of Liberty). The governer of Maharashtra was so impressed by this tune and the proficieny of M.S Neer on the clarinet that he gifted a token of appreciation to M.S Neer at the end of a programme.

M.S Neer's solo performance on the Saxophone	With the then President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma

M.S Neer also had the rare honour of conducting the Tri-Service Band during the year 1982 at New Delhi, for the 1982 Asiad. Hon. Lt. M.S Neer retired from service in 1990, thus bringing to an end a career of 30 years in the Indian Navy. His creativity gave hime many an accolade but the best came from Admiral O.S Dawson (now Retd.) who noted "I commend you for your rich knowledge and skill which have helped in raising the standard of the Naval Band and bringing great credit to the service. I have placed a directive that a copy of this commendation to be placed in your records". Hon. Lt. M.S Neer was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his distinguished service, by the President of India in the year 1985.

Hon.Lt. M.S Neer recieving the a silver plaque from the then Defence Minister Dr. Raja Ramanna.	With the then Chief of Staff, General K. Sunderji.

Hon.Lt. M.S Neer also had the rare distinction of being asked to put on his uniform once again to conduct a concert organised by the then Commander-in-Chief Western Naval Command Admiral Jain. Hon.Lt. M.S Neer once again donned his ceremonial dress uniform, and conducted the Indian Navy orchestra. The then Defence Minister Dr. Raja Ramanna presented him with a silver plaque appreciating his meritorious and outstanding service.

Hon. Lt. M.S Neer retired from the Indian Navy Band, in 1990, After retirement M.S Neer has played a number of tunes for the Bombay Chamber Orchestra and the Bombay Cantata choir. Justifiably proud of his achievements, when asked about the number of compositions he made M.S Neer responded with an air of superiority - "Oh, I have lost track, But when you listen to them you know it's only Neer".

*: Pictures are from the Album of Mr. Sunny Neer.