SHILLONG: The Shillong Chamber Choir will become part of India’s space history when its rendition of Vande Mataram is played during the live telecast of Chandrayaan- 2’s landing on the moon in the early hours of September 7.
The live telecast is scheduled from 11:30 pm on September 6 on National Geographic, Hotstar and Star Plus.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Neil Nongkynrih said, “The Choir and I are very proud to be singing for such a significant event in world history. We also see this as a new chapter in the history of NE, a hitherto lesser known region,” adding that Prime Minister Modi had heard this song being sung for Vijay Diwas and he had tweeted how touched he was by it.
After Neil Nongkynrih had composed the song in a medley of Hindi and English, Resul Pookutty, ace sound designer, sound editor and mixer who had won the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing for Danny Boyle’s 2009 Brit drama Slumdog Millionaire, offered to do the sound mixing. Neil informed that Resul Pookutty brought his own sound system and special microphones for this song.
The other person who did the sound mixing part was Luke Rowher of the Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recording Arts & Sciences, as well as a Grammy Award-winning Audio Engineer.
“With two greats putting their weight behind Vande Mataram it was bound to become a hit especially with non-resident Indians across the world,” Neil said.
The song Vande Mataram was recorded in three different studios in Mumbai and two studios in America.
The song was also sung at the launch of Kaun Banega Crorepati where Amitabh Bachchan sang along with the Choir.
The Choir members are ecstatic to be able to sing for this special occasion when millions of Indians will stand with pride and patriotic fervour at the singular achievement of its scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
