Jeddah: 'Mini A R Rahman' Mohammad Aslam Leaves Audience Spellbound
Report and pics from P A Hameed Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Jeddah (GA)
Jeddah, Feb 11: Karnataka Non-Residents Indian Forum (KNRI Forum) Jeddah, registered under the Karnataka Society Act Reg. No. SOR / DR/302 / 2008-09 and recognized by the Indian Consulate in Jeddah, has been on the rapid move to achieve its set objectives step-by-step. It has been extending helping hands towards the underprivileged Kannadigas in the Kingdom and back in Karnataka.
In the current year, it set its mission to extend its aids to deaf and dumb schools in Karnataka including Samvaad School, located in the outskirts of Bangalore city. As a part of its mission and to raise the funds for this objective, a cultural event was organized successfully by the Forum with the support and cooperation of the Indian Consulate in Jeddah at the Indian Embassy School Auditorium (Boys Section).
The Auditorium was jam-packed with the audience as they gathered to listen to the melodious voice of Mohammad Aslam, famous singer from Bangalore who is popularly known as “the Mini A R Rahman” as he is working in chorus with Rahman in Chennai and has participated as playback singer in various Hindi and Tamil films.
He spellbound the audience with his opening number, which was a classical Kannada song.
Hindi, Kannada and Tamil songs were sung continuously for around three and half hours without desiccating the hearts of the audiences. Children and teens were seen dancing to the tunes of Aslam’s songs on and in front of the stage.
Sikander, another professional singer based in Jeddah, with his mesmerizing performance kept the audience glued to their seats. More than two thousand people including children participated in the event and enjoyed the melodious evening.
Niyaz Bangalore, from KNRI Forum was on the stage to be the master of ceremony for the stage programme. Mohammad Abdul Gaffar, popularly known as “Ameer” compered the music evening. He compered the programme with his professional mimicry and jokesduring the short breaks.
B K Shetty, president of the Forum, delivered the welcome speech and introduced the Forum with its mission and vision to the audience and requested all the Karnataka NRIs to be the members of the Forum. He said "the fund raised through this programme will be utilized mostly for the welfare of dumb and deaf children including a school for dumb and deaf in Bangalore and other charitable purposes.”
At the outset, the slideshow of rich culture, heritage and historical places of Karnataka were shown for about 15-20 minutes. Aslam was conferred with KNRI Forum memento between the event by B K Shetty, president of the Forum. Sikander also was handed with a memento. Raffle draw was also conducted during the programme to give away fabulous prizes, such as two round-trip tickets, household items, cookers, box of tea packs etc to the winners.
Mohammed Mansour, general secretary of the Forum, proposed the vote of thanks. The event came to an end with the singing of the National Anthem.
Cyril Tigga, Consul (Commercial), K K Vijayan, Consul from the Indian Consulate in Jeddah, Vishwanatha Hegde, vice-president of Inter-Model Services, Jeddah, S A Kazi (Aslam Kazi) Kaup, managing director-Bassam International Shipping & Logistics Company Ltd., Jeddah, P A Hameed Padubidri, Daijiworld Correspondent in Saudi Arabia were guests of honor on the occasion.