Kishtwar, June 03: The much-anticipated grand finale of Kishtwar Idol Season 2.0, a district-level singing competition, concluded here today at the Tourist Reception Centre, leaving the audience enthralled by the exceptional talent showcased by the contestants.
Organised by the District Administration, the event featured exceptional performances by the contestants who had progressed through rigorous ground and theatrical auditions.
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Dr Devansh Yadav was the chief guest, while Deputy Commissioner Doda Harvinder Singh attended as the special guest and SSP Kishtwar Abdul Qayoom was the guest of honour.
Among others present were ASP Kishtwar Pawan Sharma; ACD Kishtwar Phulail Singh; DSWO Kishtwar Tariq Parvez Qazi; CEO Kishtwar R K Vesheshta; DIET Principal Kishtwar Prahlad Bhagat; CMO Kishtwar Dr Rajinder Kumar; CAO Kishtwar Amjad Hussain Malik; DIO Kishtwar Dr Kuldeep Kumar and Dy SP Sajjad Khan.
More than 500 spectators, including school students and local music enthusiasts, filled the venue. The ceremony began with the lighting of the traditional lamp by the dignitaries, followed by the singing of the national anthem.
The Deputy Commissioner expressed his delight over the competition’s success and emphasized its role in providing a platform for local singers to showcase their talents. He praised the Kishtwar Idol team, led by the District Information Officer and commended the young participants for their outstanding performances.
Dr Yadav also announced that the winners would receive specialised music training and opportunities to record albums with renowned recording studios, furthering their musical careers.
Deputy Commissioner Doda, Harvinder Singh, lauded Dr Yadav’s efforts to promote local talent through innovative initiatives like Kishtwar Idol and hoped for continued collaboration between Kishtwar and Doda districts to elevate the cultural profile of the Chenab Valley.
In the grand finale, 21 singers, including 11 in the above-18 category and 10 in the below-18 category, competed for the title. The jury, comprising esteemed music maestros Ravi Thakur, Suresh Chauhan, Zahida Tarranum and Bhavna Dubey evaluated the contestants’ performances meticulously.
Suraj Kumar emerged as the winner in the above-18 category, while Nidhi Aryan won the below-18 category title.
Both winners were awarded a prize of Rs 10,000 and a certificate of achievement. They will also receive sponsorship for music training and album recording from the District Administration Kishtwar.
In addition, Zulkar Nain and Rohan Bhandari were named the first and second runners-up in the senior category, while Shreya Sharma and Sushant Aryan secured the same positions in the junior category. The first runners-up received Rs 7,000, and the second runners-up were awarded Rs 5,000 in each category. All participants were recognized with participation certificates.
The guests, including DC Kishtwar, DC Doda and SSP Kishtwar, extended their heartfelt congratulations to the winners and participants.
Presenting the vote of thanks, the DIO expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, particularly Dy SP Sajjad Khan, Ashok Ji, Sanjeev Sharma, local mentors, the instrumentalists and media persons, JKAACL representative Gulab Saifi besides the other stakeholders who contributed to the event’s success. He thanked anchors Awani Sen and Zorawar Singh, the TRC management, and Picture Time Theatre officials for their support and all were felicitated on the occasion.
Special thanks were extended to the officers, officials, and staff of the education and police departments for their collaboration in ensuring the grand finale’s success.
