Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 11: Kiran Bawa from Jalandhar clinched first position while Arshi Kalas from Udhampur and Sukhjinder Jeet from Amritsar were adjudged second and the third position was bagged by Varsha Jamwal from Jammu in the All India Devotional Song Competition, organised by District Administration Reasi in collaboration with Tourism Department and SMVDSB at Yog Ashram Katra.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh was the chief guest on the occasion, while Minister of State for Education, Technical Education, Culture, Tourism, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks, Priya Sethi was the guest of honour.
Speaking on the occasion, DyCM said that the Navratra festival is immensely helping in preservation of our cultural heritage besides providing a platform to the budding artists. He stressed that promoting tourism in the State is one of the top priorities of the present Government.
Priya Sethi, urged the people to supplement Government’s efforts of promoting tourism in the State. She stressed upon the people to help in keeping the holy base camp neat and clean and be a good host for the visiting tourists by guiding them about the different tourist destinations in the district.
As many as, 12 participants from different States participated in the grand finale of the Competition. The finale was adjudged by a panel of judges including famous Bollywood personalities Pahlaj Nihalani, Chairman Censor Board, Hans Raj Hans, Noted Bollywood Singer, Parvez Diwan, Former Advisor to J&K Governor, Ganesh Jain, Chairman-cum-Managing Director Venus Records and Tapes Limited, Mohinder Batla, CEO MH One Group, RC Raina CEO Navgrah Channel and Barkha Arora from Zee network.
The dignitaries congratulated the winners and felicitated them with prizes. The first prize was gold worth Rs 3 lakh besides an opportunity to get a recording contract with Venus Records and Tapes Limited. Similarly, prizes worth Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50000 were given to the contestants who stood second and third in the competition.
Rakesh Wazir, Chairman, All India Devotional Song Competition conducted the proceedings of the programme.
Among others, CEO SMVDSB AK Sahu, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Simrandeep Singh, Director Tourism Sushma Chouhan, DC Reasi Ravinder Kumar, Director Local Bodies Jammu Soujanya Sharma, ADC Reasi Shiv Kumar Gupta, ASP Sumir Kotwal, Joint Director Tourism Vishesh Mahajan, PO DRDA Dr Jagdish Mehra, AD Tourism, Katra Dr Umesh Shan, Tehsildar Katra Mohit Raina and large number of prominent citizens were present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, shobha yatra-cum-cultural procession marked the concluding day of Navratra festival at the holy town of Katra. The yatra that started from Asia Chowk passed through Banganga road, Chintamani culminated at Yog Ashram Katra.
Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB, AK Sahu was the chief guest on the occasion while DC Reasi Ravinder Kumar was the guest of honour.
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