Gandhi Village hosts song and dance competition

With over $25,000 in prizes to be won, founder of the Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Organisation, Bobby Seenath, promises that this year’s annual Singing and Dancing competition will be even more enjoyable than in previous years.

Trinidadian-born Seenath, who has been residing in the United States of America for the past 20 years, said he always wanted to do something to honour Mahatma Gandhi, the man the village was named after.

In 2003 his organisation erected a life-sized statue of Gandhi on the Gandhi Village Main Road, near the junction — the venue for Sunday’s competition.

The competition, which is open to persons 21 years and under, gets going from 6 pm when 15 persons will show off their talents in dancing and singing. The categories for the dance segment of the competition are Indian, classical and semi-classical dancers.

In the singing category, songs must be sung in Hindi, including devotional and film. Seenath emphasised that neither chutney nor “vulgar” songs will be performed at the competition.

“In the 1960’s the village, my home town was named after Gandhi. I kept asking myself what can I do for the area. Then it hit me. Last Sunday we had auditions for the competition and the response was overwhelming. We are growing in status, “ Seenath said.

He said the judges are highly qualified. Chief judge is Rana Mohip who has a Master’s Degree in Music from the Delhi University in India. Other judges include Vishnu Brown, a former finalist in the popular Mastana Bahar competition; Nadia Madhoo, winner of the Children of

Mastana competition; Premchan Jagdeo, a three-time Mastana Bahar finalist; and Girely Sahadeo, manager of the Original Indian Orchestra.

“ These judges will focus on swar (pronunciation), appearance and timing for the song competition,” Seenath explained.

“Vishnu has been involved in Indian music for the last 35 years and Jagdeo for about 30 years, performing both locally and abroad.”

Music will be supplied by the popular DJ Capil Gayadeen.

Three awards will be given out to outstanding members of the community — the Sham Mohammed Lifetime Achievement Award, the Capil Gayadeen Youth Excellence Award and the Mr and Mrs Suenath Seecharan Community Service Award.

Featured speakers on Sunday will be Kayal Mohammed, producer of Mastana Bahar,

and Seenath. “ It will be a huge celebration. This is the fifth annual singing and dancing competition. In the past we have had 12 performances but this year we are having 15 due to the excellent response,” Seenath said.

President of the Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Organisation is Clifford Rambharose, while executive members include Kamla de Silva, Raj Jhoon, Sham Balliram and Elizabeth Rambharose.