India’s Man with the Golden Voice, Mohamed Rafi, was described as inimitable: Well, that is no longer so, because decades after the death of the legendary Rafi Saab emerged one of India’s most versatile singers – the inimitable Sonu Nigam. And Sonu is inimitable because, apart from singing in his own rich voice, he can imitate a host of other outstanding singers without a flaw.

Sonu caught the eye and ear of the international public when he hosted the SaReGaMa Li’l Champs competition and his renditions, whereby he corrected the tonality and vocal modulations of the competitors, had audiences craving for more of Sonu.
Today, dacades later Sonu has hit the zenith of superstardom and now inhabits the hearts of music lovers on the international spectrum of audiences; and Guyana was blessed to experience – not once, but twice, the magic of Sonu Nigam – up close and personal, with the compliments of local promoters, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha.
Vindhya Persaud’s leadership style parallels that of Janet Jagan
Dr. Vindhya Vasini Persaud’s leadership style reminds one of Mrs. Janet Jagan, who was a hands-on, never-say-die achiever – not merely envisioning, but bringing to a satisfactory conclusion – gracefully and seemingly effortlessly pushing boundaries beyond parameters of what seem improbable, if not impassable, people-empowering and developmental projects and programmes to a satisfactory conclusion, even if she has to move figurative mountains in the process, while simultaneously superlatively multi-tasking in various areas of endeavour. But then Vindhya was the product of the influences of the Jagans themselves and a father who was practically a legend in his

own lifetime, all iconic figures in the Guyanese nationhood who greatly influenced the shaping of Vindhya’s super-achieving characteristics.
Combining all her various social arms to embrace a concept espoused by her late father “Service thy Duty, Reward not thy Concern”, Vindhya did not wring her hands in lamentation, did not merely issue platitudinous speeches from public platforms; but she envisioned ways of addressing in productive efforts detrimental scourges decimating families – with a focus on children and women; thus the conceptualization and consequential implementation of protective and empowering devices to address the needs of abused and disempowered children and women – the most vulnerable groups in any society. Today ‘Bal Nivas’ , a shelter for abused children and empowerment centre for women is a tribute by a daughter and all those whom he mentored to an outstanding father, guru, and spiritual leader, the late Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud.

And Sonu Nigam’s golden voice is embedded in the foundation of the beautiful structure situated on spacious lands donated by the Government that was built to shelter abused children and empower women through skills training, counseling and other motivational mechanisms to arm vulnerable groups with coping mechanisms that will enable them to rebuild lives shattered by abusive and/or other anomalous situations that inhibited personal growth and development, because the proceeds from his first concert launched the undertaking approximately one year ago.

Sonu Nigam first superstar in series of Dharmic Sabha’s fund-raising concerts
After his first appearance on a Guyanese stage in 2012 in a concert promoted by the Dharmic Sabha Sonu stunned Guyanese with another mesmerizing performance at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday, May 4.

The concert was part of his 2014 world concert tour titled “Klose to My Soul”, and all of the proceeds will go to the Sabha’s Bal Nivas home for vulnerable children.
The concert also featured Bollywood playback singer Jonita Gandhi, who is also an accomplished singer of Canadian nationality.
The concert, apart from being part of the celebratory events of the Sabha’s 40th anniversary progaramme, was also held to commemorate the 176th anniversary of Indian arrival in Guyana. Sonu was accompanied by a 25-member troupe from Mumbai, including his own father and mentor, whom he described as his guru, his educator, and the protective umbrella over his head. The love and respect for his father, whom he described as an honourable man, was palpable as he reverently touched his father’s feet before they sang a duet that moved the hyped up audience to quietude before they erupted in a roar of applause.
Sonu’s father, Agam Kumar Nigam, also held the audience enthralled as he sang several Rafi hits, including the soul-stirring “Chaudvi ka chand” in a voice no less richer than his legendary son’s; and everyone wished for an encore from Sonu’s dad, which was granted when Sonu recalled his dad on stage to join him in a duet that rocked the National Stadium.

Apart from his own original chart-breaking hit songs, Sonu paid tribute to musical legends such as Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar, RD Burman, Jagjit Singh and Kishore Kumar, with a limitless range that defied vocal parameters, which included his latest hit “Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin”, a song which swept all of the Indian musical awards last year.
Sonu’s concert last Sunday evening was much anticipated and he did not disappoint his sold-out audience. His incredibly superlative performance thrilled an already hyped-up audience that roared appreciation every time Sonu’s glissade of fluid, liquid vocal gold resonated in the velvet-dark Guyana night skies and into the soul of

Guyana. He indeed wound himself close to the soul of his audience, who braved intermittent spatters of rain in their craving for more of Sonu’s incredible showmanship and limitless range of renditions of hits, in a repertoire that spans transcending parameters.
Sonus’s first appearance on a Guyana stage was the first superstar appearance on a Dharmic Sabha programme of mammoth fund-raising activities to generate the eighty-odd million dollars for the establishment of the “Bal Nivas” centre for abused children.

Sonu has become part of Dharmic family
Sonu’s interactions and cooperation with Vindhya and the Dharmic family, beyond expectations of a superstar of his calibre, denotes his affection for Vindhya and the members of the organization that was founded by her father under volatile circumstances. Despite achieving the zenith of superstardom, Sonu has not become arrogant, but instead humbled by the great heights he achieved, which he ascribes not to his own efforts, but to the blessings of the divine mother; and he paid beautiful tribute to this gift with his rendition of his “Tum Binte Suno” in praise of Durga Maa.

Speaking of his affinity with Guyana and Guyanese, and empathy with Vindhya and her feeling of loss of her iconic father, Sonu revealed that he also lost his mother, Shoba Nigam last year. Vindhya ascribes his bonding with Guyanese people to the fact that Sonu’s family originated from Haryna State in Utter Pradesh, from where most Guyanese ancestors hailed.

After an hours-long mega concert in Trinidad on Saturday night, then travelling to Guyana before his performance at the National Stadium on Sunday, Sonu stayed onstage for almost four hours; and his performance was so electric that no-one suspected that he was feeling very ill throughout, until he addressed the audience the next day at Ankerville during the opening ceremony of “Bal Nivas” and one could clearly hear the hoarseness attributable to a flu virus in his voice; and this discipline is another admirable feature of sonu’s.

Sonu Nigam’s music transcends boundaries

Sonu Nigam is not above experimenting with his music; with drumming and harmonica medleys and a rendition of the Caribbean’s chutney soca music, which he said, “caught my imagination…it is different and it is rhythmical. It’s just a great form of entertainment.” He plays a variety of musical instruments on a professional, but his virtuosity with his vocals is compellingly sublime.

In 2012 at the Guyana National Stadium Sonu Nigam came close to the hearts of Guyanese with his “Klose to my heart” super brilliant concert.
With his return to Guyana on Sunday, May 4 for another fabulous concert organised by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, during his 2014 world concert tour titled “Klose to My Soul”, Sonu became firmly entrenched in the soul of the Guyanese music lovers, whom he captured with his soul-stirring music and humble persona. The proceeds of the concert will go to the Sabha’s Bal Nivas home for vulnerable children.
The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s shelter for children and empowerment centre for women was launched in 2010 and the building plan for the shelter unveiled in April 2012 by President Ramotar and Sonu. The completed building was opened at a special ceremony last Monday at Ankerville, Corentyne.

The opening ceremony featured cultural performances by children in the Dharmic Sabha’s family, with accompanying music by the E-Networks Orchestra and speeches by President of the GHDS, Dr. Vindhya Persaud and guest of honour Sonu Nigam, with President Donald Ramotar delivering the feature address.

A facebook blurb describes Sonu thus “Sonu Nigam is a genuine artist, a student of life! A musician who strives to better himself everyday! A performer par excellence who can energize souls with merely his presence! A multi-talented showman whose capabilities are limited by no boundaries! An intellectual who craves for knowledge from all walks of life!

Born on 30th July 1973, Sonuji started singing on stage at the age of 3. In his teenage years he accompanied his father for several singing assignments and also worked as a child artiste in several movies. He came to Bombay in 1991 to make a career as a singer and started off by singing cover versions to Rafi Saab’s songs – Rafi Saab. whom he lovingly refers to as his musical father. His first hit was Accha Sila Diya from Bewafa Sanam which gave him the recognition as an established playback singer. And with songs like Sandese Aate Hai from Border,Satrangi Re from Dil se and Yeh Dil Deewana from Pardes, Sonu Niigaam the Star was born..The rest is history!! All coveted awards adorn his mantlepiece, the most significant being the National award for the song Kal Ho Na Ho in 2003. His pop albums like Sapne Ki Baat,Naya Naya Pyar, Kismat, Deewana, Mausam, Jaan, Yaad, Sanskar, Chanda Ki Doli (self-composed, programmed and arranged), Classically Mild, Rafi Resurrected, Maha Ganesha and Neene bari Neene over the years have all appealed to the masses and have collectively demonstrated his versatility and prowess as a musician!!. He is also the safest choice for any music director to do justice to their compositions and a voice

which suits actors of all ages. He is a complete musician and an institution in himself – he plays almost every instrument, and is a composer, programmer and lyricist!! He has travelled all around the globe and enthralled audiences with his live performances and still continues to do so, so much so that he got invited to perform at Harvard University in 2007 – a very big honour!!. He has also featured as an actor (Jaani Dushman, Kash Aap Hamare Hote, Love In Nepal), TV Host (TVS Sa Re Ga Ma, Kismey Kitna Hai Dum), RJ (Life Ki Dhun with Sonu Niigaam for Radio City) and judge (Indian idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa) all of which has added value to his profile. He is a legend at the age of 36 and his journey has just begun. He is an international icon today, with millions of fans and admirers all over the world!!”
The Dharmic Sabha has set precedents in a multiplicity of ways in the socio-cultural/religious spheres; but one can safely say that bringing the legendary Sonu Nigam and his greatly talented father to bedazzle Guyanese audiences is a superlative achievement by this organization, one which will continue to glitter in the firmament of achievements of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and its current president, woman of substance Dr. Vindhya Vasini Persaud.

Guyana’s leg of Sonu’s “Close to my Soul” concert fittingly began with a vandana to the Lord, choreographed by Vindhya and performed by the Dharmic Nritya Sangh, which also danced an ode to the divine in accompaniment to Sonu’s vocals; which he described as Guyana and India meeting and melding as one.
By Parvati Persaud-Edwards