Ryan is a second generation born and raised Scottish Sikh. At 8 years old he began playing tabla and dholak alongside his father at the Mili Gurdwara. Ryan's uncles from Manchester also played dhol and taught at music workshops at the Gurdwara. At the age of 12 during school holidays, Ryan organized his own music workshops for young musicians at the Gurdwara. A group was formed from members of his workshops calling themselves the ‘Dhole Crusaders'.