Producer-Director Pahlaj Nihalani, Singers Usha Uthup, Adnan Sami honoured with Sangam Awards

Singers Arpita Mandal of Jamshedpur, Pragya Patra of Delhi win the 35th All India Singing Competition held yesterday by Sangam Kala Group in Senior Category.

Producer Director Pahlaj Nihalani, singers Adnan Sami, Usha Uthap, Penaz Masani and art promoter Vijender Singh were honoured with “Sangam Awards” at the glittering finale of 35th Annual “Surtarang” Singing Talent Competition held here by Sangam Kala Group on 27th Sept at Sirifort Auditorium.

Other who were honored included playback singers Shilpa Rao, Malini Awasthy and Harish Moyal; upcoming star Raika (film Avatar), Sharad Dutt of P-7 TV Channel, dance guru Jitender Maharaj and his disciples Nalini-Kamalini, anchor Nitin Arora, music teacher Anju Munjal, Sangam's Regional Co-ordinators Neena Bawa (Yamunanagar) and Sarita Pant (Nainital).

Sangam Kala Group is one of oldest organizations of India devoted to the cause of promotion of young upcoming singers and was established by its founder president VSK Sood in Delhi in 1974. Speaking on the occasion Mr Sood claimed that Sangam Kala Group’s Competition which is held every year in memory of immortal child-singer Madan Mohan, is the World’s Biggest Stage Singing Competition in which more than 20,000 singers had competed from 66 cities of India and 6 centres abroad. 18 singers out of 20,000 screened earlier had participated in 6 categories in the World Finals held on 27th Sept at Sirifort Auditorium, New Delhi. The winners were:

• Sub-Junior  Non-Film ( 5 upto 12 years): Prajal Shirke of Narwana
• Sub-Junior Film (5 upto 12 years): Sharddha Shree of Delhi
• Junior Non-Film (above 12 upto 18 years): Gurman Preet Singh of Delhi
• Junior Film (above 12 upto 18 years): Manas Kamble of Rewa
• Senior Non-Film (above 18 upto 28 years): Arpita Mandal of Jamshedpur
• Senior Film (above 18 up to 28 years): Pragya Patra of Delhi

The competition was followed by an entertainment programme by cine personalities co-ordinated by Sangam’s Shahid Waheed Khan. Singers Usha Uthup, Adnan Sami, Penaz Masani and folk singer Malini Awasthy elicited a thunderous applause from a overpacked house of 3,000 spectators. The programme was very well compered by the duo Nitin Arora and Juhi with the audience going into peals of laughter with their witty comments. Satish Popli’s Doremi Orchestra accompanied the competitors and the star performers to perfection in the presence of distinguished guest Dr AK Kalyan of Petronet LNG.