THE concert organized by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha in celebration of the 175th anniversary of Indian Arrival in Guyana is “still very much on,” Sabha executive, Vindhya Persaud told this publication recently.

“My dad would’ve wanted everything to go on as planned,” she said. Her father, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, died on April 7. 
World-renowned Bollywood singers Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan  will be featured at the concert, to be held at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara on May 5.
Tickets for the event are currently on sale at various locations, including at the Dharmic Kendra, Red Mango, Bhagwans, E-Networks, Harinarine & Sons, Asmins, NTN, M&M Snackette,  R. Gossai & Sons General Store, The Murti Shop, and Spreadys at Port Mourant in Berbice. A general seating ticket costs $2,500; VIP reserved seating costs $5000; and VVIP all inclusive seating costs $20,000.
The sabha is urging fans to get their tickets early so that they do not miss this “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to see, for the first time in Guyana, both of the legendary stars perform on the same stage, along with their full band of musicians. According to a statement from the sabha, Alka and Udit are “excited” to perform in Guyana for the first time.
The concert will begin at 7pm (Gates open at 5pm!). “They are coming with a full band of musicians out of Mumbai, and have been working to put together a special collection of the songs that Guyanese love.

The Sabha’s Dharmic Nritya Sangh will accompany them with dances,” the sabha said.
All proceeds will be used towards construction of the sabha’s children’s shelter, “Bal Nivas”, in Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. Construction began last February, and is expected to be completed by year end. Last year, President Donald Ramotar and other leading Bollywood singer, Sonu Nigam, unveiled the design for the building.

Alka
Described as the melody queen of Bollywood, Alka is among the best known playback singers of Hindi cinema, and is a record seven-time winner from a record 35 nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer. She is also a two-time recipient of the National Film Award, as well as winner of several other music awards.
Alka got her big break with the Madhuri Dixit song ‘Ek Do Teen’ from the super hit film Tezaab in the 1980s. The song turned her into a star overnight, and went on to become a pop hit, in the process winning her a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award.
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was also a career maker for her, as, along with Udit, she became a household name. She has done playback singing for over 700 Indian films, has sung in many notable non-film albums, and has rendered the Hanuman Chalisa and various devotional songs.
Alka has also been the judge for ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ and ‘Star Voice of India’, and has sung ‘Ringa Ringa’ for the award winning film Slumdog Millionaire. In 2012, on the occasion of 100 years of Hindi Cinema, her song, ‘Taal Se Taal Mila’, from the movie Taal, was voted as the best song of the century.

Udit
Udit has sung over 1200 songs for Hindi films, and has crooned some of the best romantic Bollywood hits. He has won three National Film Awards in India, five Bollywood Filmfare Awards, and numerous other awards. In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India.
Udit got his first break in 1980, when noted music director Rajesh Roshan asked him to playback for the Hindi film Unees Bees, and he was given the opportunity to sing with the veteran Mohammed Rafi.
The success story of his career began in 1988, when he sang all the songs for the successful Bollywood movie Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, earning himself a Filmfare Award for the hugely popular song Papa Kehte Hai.
His most recent hit is a song that is currently popular in Guyana, ‘Radha’, from the film ‘Student of the Year’.

Port Mourant
The sabha has also organized a multifaceted event for April 28 at the Port Mourant Community Centre Ground, in Berbice, to commemorate Indian Arrival Day.
This programme will feature a number of top local artistes, including the Dharmic Nritya Sangh, Sookrane Boodhoo, Suchitra Rampersaud, Rekha Singh, Mona Gowkarran and many others.
Special tributes will be paid the sabha’s late president, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud.
There will also be a procession, exhibition and food festival.
The sabha has said that, during the month of May, it will be giving out 175 hampers to some of the oldest persons of East Indian descent living all across Guyana.