 Early Times Report
Katra, Oct 24: The enchanting finale of the Ninth All India Devotional Song Competition in Katra concluded with Laisal Roy from Chandigarh securing the prestigious first prize. The event was jointly organized by SMVD Shrine Board, the Department of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism, MH1, in association with J&K Bank, DIVINITI, Nice Gems, Nidheesh Builders Jammu Pvt. Ltd., Pure Roots Herbals, and Vishwayatan Yog Ashram Complex, with active support from the District Administration and the local community.
The culmination of this nine-day event was celebrated with melodious bhajans, the rhythmic beat of drums, and the dazzling display of fireworks at the Yog Ashram Complex.
In the Mega Final of the Devotional Song Competition, Laisal Roy was declared the winner, followed by Anmol from Hoshiarpur in second place and Sukhjinder from Punjab in third place. These remarkable singers emerged victorious from a pool of five finalists who competed through multiple rounds.
Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Anand Jain, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, joined by Deputy Inspector General of Police Suleman Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner Reasi Babila Rakwal, Jt. Director Tourism Sunaina Sharma, SDM Katra Deepak Dubey, Addl.SP Katra Vipan Chandra, and Captain Murti Gupta, among other distinguished guests.
The event featured renowned Bollywood and media personalities as judges, including Ganesh Jain, former SMVD Shrine Board member and Managing Director of Venus World wide; Pahlaj Nihalani, former Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification and film maker; actress Mishikka Chourasia; famous former actress and wife of actor Shatrugan Sinha, Poonam Sinha; leading film singer Shankar Sahney; film maker Rishi Raj; film trade analyst Kumar Mohan; Vice President of Zee Network Barkha Arora; CL Verma, and Dr. Surinder.
The winners received substantial prizes, with the first prize of Rs. 3 lakh in gold awarded to Laisal Roy, the second prize of gold worth 1 lakh to Anmol, and the third prize of gold worth 50,000 to Sukhjinder.
The awards were presented by Chief Guest Anand Jain, in the presence of renowned singers Amrinder Bobby, Sonali Dogra, Mool Raj, Yog Acharya Swami Yoga Nand ji Maharaj, Ajay Verma Managing Nice Gems, Ajay Kotwal, Sardar Lal Dubey, Subhash Chander, Gopal Singh, and more.
Chief Guest Anand Jain praised the competition’s remarkable success and commended the organizers for their efforts. He also expressed his gratitude to all the people and organizations that contributed to the event’s success, especially the film and media fraternity members who supported the competition.
Joint Director Tourism Jammu, Sunaina Sharma Mehta, highlighted the live telecast of the event’s global reach, promoting tourism in Jammu & Kashmir.
She invited film industry professionals to consider the region for future film shootings and emphasized the untapped tourism potential in Jammu.
Rakesh Wazir, Chairman of the All India Devotional Competition and President of the Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra, managed the event seamlessly.
The event was further enriched by captivating live performances by renowned Bollywood singers Shanker Sawhney, Amrinder Bobby, and former winners of the competition, Sonali Dogra, Mool Raj, and Ravi Kumar. Their melodious voices added a spiritual dimension to the evening.
The occasion also saw the release of the trailer and poster of Pahlaj Nihalani’s upcoming movie, “Anari is back,” set for release on November 24, and the album of the former winner of the All India Devotional Song Competition, Ravi Kumar, titled “Maa jado da Tera Lad phadaya.” Mishika Chourasia, the heroine of the film, shared her experiences during the movie’s making with the audience, making the event all the more memorable. |
