The grand finale of the “Fusion of the Bands”, prestigious Hindi music talent hunt, captivated the vibrant music scene thereby providing a platform for the artistes from the 16 districts of the state to showcase their exceptional talents in the presence of Nagaland governor, La Ganesan
BY Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
The band “Noisy Neighbours” of Dimapur was declared as the ultimate winner of the “Fusion of the Bands” held on Thursday night at the Bhagat Stadium, Rangapahar Military Station, Dimapur.
Organized as part of the “Operation Sadbhavna”, and supported by the Nagaland tourism department, saw six finalist bands—Sideline (Mokokchung), Raag (Dimapur), Kunwang Wangkhum (Dimapur), Tribals Indian (Dimapur), Lies and Lullabies (Kohima), and Noisy Neighbours, from amongst the 29 bands from the 16 districts of the state who were auditioned online and 12 bands making it to the semi-finals.
The grand finale of the “Fusion of the Bands”, prestigious Hindi music talent hunt, captivated the vibrant music scene thereby providing a platform for the artistes from the 16 districts of the state to showcase their exceptional talents in the presence of Nagaland governor, La Ganesan.
Renowned artistes of the state including Imna Yaden, Eva Rongmei, NK Naga, Akumsen Lemtur, Aloboli Kinimi, and winner of the Indian Idol Season-3, Prasant Tamang, provided a musical spectacle of the unparalleled grandeur in between the performances of the six finalist bands and in front of the many hundreds of music enthusiasts who gathered to cheer for their favourite band.
Thursdays’ grand finale of the talent hunt “Fusion of the Bands” brought together a diverse array of musical talent, showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of Nagaland.
The journey to the grand finale comprised three-stage process which brought together musicians from all genres to compete in the “universal language” of music.
It kicked off with an online audition phase and after a rigorous selection process, 12 bands where shortlisted to compete in the semi-finales held on March 26 in Dimapur and after which six bands were ultimately selected to compete in the grand finale.
Underscoring the significance of recognizing and rewarding exceptional musical prowess, the winning band-Noisy Neighbours, walked away with a cash prize of Rs 3 Lakh along with memento and certificate, while the 1st runner-up (Kunwang Wangkhum) also from Dimapur, and 2nd runners-up (Lies and Lullabies) from Kohima, received Rs 2 Lakh and Rs 1 Lakh respectively along with mementoes and certificates.
Acknowledging the remarkable musical abilities of the remaining three finalists, Rs 25,000 were also handed over to them by the chief guest of the musical evening, La Ganesan.
“Fusion of the Bands” stood as a testament to the musical vibrancy and talent that thrives in Nagaland, and with the stellar line ups of artistes, generous prize offerings, and meticulous selection process, the talent hunt not only celebrated music but also nurtured and promoted the rich cultural heritage of the region while also the musical experience for both participants and the spectators alike cemented Nagaland Nagaland’s position as a hub of musical excellence.
Winner of the Indian Idol season-3, Prasant Tamang, accompanied by his band, Himalayan Bridge, enthralled the audience with his soulful voice by crooning some of the melodious Bollywood songs.
It may be pertinent to mention that “Operation Sadbhavna” of Indian Army executes diverse initiatives on the basis of “felt need” of the population and the projects are selected after taking local aspirations into consideration, in conjunction with civil administration, it is ensured that there is no duplicity in the projects being shortlisted
Projects like National Integration Tours (NIT), women empowerment, employment generation, education, opportunities to youth for showcasing talent and developmental activities towards nation building are planned and executed under “Operation Sadbhavna”.