*Celebrity Singer Lakhwinder Wadali enthralls audience
Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Sept 30: The 9-days long Navratra Festival in the Holy town of Katra came to musical conclusion last evening with Sargam Sharma from Jammu bagging the prestigious first prize jointly in mega final of All India Devotional Song Competition, which was organized by SMVD Shrine Board and Department of Tourism in association with Shradha MH One, Shiv Khori Shrine Board, Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super-Speciality Hospital, J&K Bank, Ramada City Center Jammu, Pure Roots Herbals, Nidhesh Builders Jammu Pvt. Ltd., 92.7 Big FM, District Administration, Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra, and the local host community besides other organizations, during Navratra Festival.
The function concluded amidst chanting of Bhajans and beating of drums at Yog Ashram Complex, Katra.
Anmol Raja from Hoshiarpur took second Position and 3rd position was clinched by Kabul Bhukhari from Mumbai in the Devotional Song competition out of 11 candidates reached in the mega final in which six were from outside the State and 5 were from within State.
Minister of State for Finance, Planning, IT, CAPD, Labour, Employment, Law & Justice,Tribal Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, Ajay Nanda was the chief guest on the occasion.
Former Advisor to Governor Parvez Dewan, noted Bollywood & Media personalities including Managing Director Venus Records & Tapes Ltd. Ganesh Jain, Chairman cum Managing Director Times Music Pravin Shah, Film maker Gordhan Tanwani, Vice President Zee Network Barkha Arora were the judges of the mega final and Bollywood singer Lakhwinder Wadalli was the special invitee on the occasion.
Chief guest Ajay Nanda, Film & media personalities, CEO SMVD Jitender Kumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner Reasi Prasanna Rama Swami and Deputy Director Tourism Publicity, Shokit Malik gave away prizes worth Rs. 3 lakh in the shape of gold to the first prize winner Sargam Sharma from Jammu, Gold worth 1 lakh to 2nd position holder Anmol Raja from Hoshiarpur and Gold worth 50,000 to third position holder Kabul Bhukhari from Mumbai and consolation prizes of Rs.10,000 to each participant who sung in the final in presence of SDM Katra Neelam Khajuria, Additional SP Katra Naresh Singh, Sojanya Sharma, District Information Officer Reasi, Rajinder Singh Rana, Shyam Lal Kesar, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Virender Kesar etc.
Nanda while speaking on the occasion said that this is one best event where our budding participants are getting the platform on one hand and its publicity and telecast all over elaborating the places of tourist interest around is promoting the Tourism on the other hand in best way.
CEO SMVD Shrine Board Jitender Kumar Singh while speaking on the occasion said that this competition has attained good heights & complimented the organizers for the same.
Rakesh Wazir Chairman of All India Devotional Competition and President Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra conducted the proceedings of the programme.
Bollywood Singer Lakhwinder Wadali known for his famous hit songs like Tera ki Lagda, Sajda, De Deedar, Naina De Buhe etc. gave his live performance and enthralled the audience on the occasion.