Misra, apart from secretly perfecting the technique of Vichitra Veena after having heard a performance by Abdul Aziz Khan of Patiala, had carried out research on history and development of Indian musical instruments. His thesis published by Bharatiya Jnanpith, New Delhi in 1973 (second edition 2002, reprinted 2004; fifth edition 2012) under the title Bharatiya Sangeet Vadya serves as primary reference work for identification, authentication and classification of Indian musical instruments. Another important treatise, first of a four-part series on techniques of strings was published as "Tantri Nad". After his death in 1979 his son Gopal Shankar Misra, internationally renowned Vichitra Veena artiste and professor, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, BHU, Varanasi worked on the remaining volumes, relying on hand-written compositions and notes of Dr. Misra. After his demise on 13 August 1999, Gopal Shankar's sister Ragini Trivedi is carrying out publication work on unfinished books of their father. A book on essays written by Misra – "Sangeet Aur Samaj" (Music and Society) edited by Omprakash Chaurasiya and Ragini Trivedi was published by Madhukali Prakashan, Bhopal in 2000.