SHILLONG: Meghalaya’s tribal singer Ribhakupar Shadap won in the Modern Song category in the grand finale of the second edition of NE Body Can Sing, a musical reality show, held at Aurobindo Hall in the city on Saturday under the aegis of the North Eastern Services, All India Radio (AIR) Shillong.
Manchai Phom, a tribal singer from Nagaland, became the first runner-up in the same category. While Shadap received Rs 1 lakh, Phom won Rs 50,000.
In a closely contested competition in the Western Song category, Nagaland’s Seyievinuo Chuzo won the first prize of Rs 1 lakh and the second position was grabbed by Mizoram’s Lalramzauvi. The second prize money is Rs 50,000. The cash awards of both categories were sponsored by State Bank of India.
Participants from different AIR stations including Agartala, Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Shillong and Aizawl performed in the competition that aims to promote the unheard tunes of the North East as well as to find musical talents from the region.
Vice Chancellor of North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) Krishna Srivastava, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Henry Lamin, Additional Director General (Programme and Administration) (NEZ) All India Radio D.N Basumatari and AGM State Bank of India Rajeev Arora honoured the winners by handing over the cash prizes.
The programme was aired live by the North Eastern Service of AIR, Shillong, from 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm and on FM 100.1 MHz, 4970 kHz, SW- 60.36 m and also from the transmitters of AIR- Shillong at 864 kHz, Guwahati, Itanagar, Imphal, Aizawl, Agartala Kohima and Gangtok. It was also telecast by the DTH service of AIR and Doordarshan and also on the DTH Service of NES.
