First premier league for musicians

Mangaluru: We have heard of premier leagues in sports, but here is a novel experiment that met a resounding success in promoting a platform for the musicians of coastal Karnataka. The first of its kind in the Coastal region if not in Karnataka, the Singers Premier League 23, brought a number of young and accomplished singers and musicians from all over the coast. This platform also witnessed achievers from various fields that are related to art, culture, music and folk and performing arts being felicitated with innovatively titled awards.

The two-day event held in Mangaluru created a benchmark in holding culture festivals with Music on top or rather it was a beginning. The offering was also quite formidable in volumes in terms of the cash prizes. The Championship winner got a purse of Rs. 5 lakhs that was won by Team Prathima and the runner-up Pancham Haleandi team bagged Rs. 2 Lakhs.

“It was a very good response that the inaugural event of the Singers Premier League got a total of 72 participants who sang 178 songs in 13 matches, including 9 leagues and 3 semi-finals, in the two-day competition. Renowned composer Dr Jayashree Aravind and playback singer and actor Shashidhar Kote were the judges. It was a tough competition and at times we in the organising committee wondered where these talents were hiding and why they could not make a mark and we realised that a Singing competition of this magnitude was hard to come by in recent times in open and live context” said Sadashivadas Pandeshwar of the Das Kudla ensemble.

Explaining the story of the birth of the concept called SPL23, Srinivasa Pejathaya, Secretary, of Arunya Foundation said that it is the urge to do something for artistes and downtrodden post Covid era that would genuinely be of help to them that led to this now hugely successful programme. And moreover, it was also due to Das Kudla Events that aided us to make our dream come true. Also, our foundation which has participatory approach is into encouraging art, and culture apart from education, agriculture among others, he said. Buoyed by the hugely positive response of delegates, participants and audience to the programme, he added that the organisers have planned to make this an annual event.

The special section in the competitions was the Panchabhasha Rasamanjari part Countless songs were sung by talented singers, both young and old from various languages ranging from Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam and genres ranging from Qawwali, sentimental and even film songs.

Vani Harikrishna of ‘Madhubana Karedare’ fame participated in the Rasamanjari programme. The highlight of the two day programme apart from the melodious musical renditions by the participants, the organisers also took time to choose achievers who contributed to the world or music and culture. Dr. M. Mohan Alva was conferred with the ‘Kalaveera Tilakaratna Gourava Award’. Veteran journalist Manohar Prasad was honored with the Sakala Kalasampanna Gourava Award while veteran singers Sharada Barkur and Tagore Das were honored with Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of music. Tabla player S. Shivanand Shet, singer Thonse Pushkal Kumar, and Music Composer K. Ravi Shankar were presented with the Senior Art Achievers Honorary Award. Several eminent personalities were conferred with Kalaposhaka Ratna Gourava Award, Vishesha Sadhaka Gourava Puraskara, Gourava Samaja Seva Ratna Award, Kalasadhaka Gourava Puraskara, and Gourava Samaja Seva Ratna Award.