ITANAGAR, Sep 8: Patey Madu of Kra Daadi district won the Nyishi Idol-6 – a singing talent hunt – in the grand finale held at the DK convention hall here on Saturday night.
Gania Gyadi from East Kameng and Dibang Nido of Kamle were adjudged the first and second runner-up, respectively.
Madu received a cash prize of Rs 3 lakhs and a contract with the event’s organiser, the Nyishi Art and Cultural Welfare Society (NACWS). The first and second runners-up received cash amounts of Rs 1.5 lakhs and Rs 70,000, respectively.
The grand finale witnessed highly spirited performances by all the five finalists and the winners of the previous seasons.
Congratulating the winners, Legislative Assembly Speaker PD Sona praised all the finalists for their top-notch performances. He, however, said those who couldn’t win the title should not lose heart but work harder to perform better next time.
Expressing grave concern over increasing drug abuse among the state’s youths, the speaker appealed to the youths to refrain from drugs. He also appealed to civil society groups and CBOs to make concerted efforts to curb drug abuse among the youths.
Reiterating that drug addiction is one of the biggest menaces the society is facing today, Sona said, “Drugs not only kill the abuser but also isolate them from the society.”
Citing the example of the Aalo based de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centre, Sona appealed to the NACWS and other likeminded organisations to “use music as a tool to get the youths out of the clutches of drugs.”
Nyishi Elite Society president Bengia Tolum lauded the NACWS for organising the event for six years in a row, and advised it to improve the event, “as there is always scope for improvement.’
Stating that nowadays learning music is easier with all kinds of facilities available at hand, he advised the young singers to develop patience to learn good music. He also urged them to focus on old and traditional songs, apart from modern ones.
“It is now your responsibility and turn as members of the society to preserve and promote the age-old culture and traditions,” he said.
Home Minister Bamang Felix said music doesn’t belong to any tribe, religion, region, caste or creed, and suggested to the singers to “sing for the state.”
He lauded the finalists for their excellent performances, and urged them to make an Arunachalee album, which he offered to sponsor.
