ISLAMABAD: Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, different organisations continue to use digital platforms in engaging the community, through various initiatives.

The Serena Hotel on Wednesday concluded season four of its nationwide musical talent hunt, called Sarangi. The theme of the competition this year was ‘hamd-o-naat’ and the jury announced winners online. This year’s competition began in Ramazan; more than 150 submissions were received from vocalists from all over the country. The competition’s finale is usually a star-studded affair but due to Covid-19, the event was held in a limited setting with participants showcasing their talent via video link. However, quality of the performances was unaffected by this and the jury including sufi singer Arieb Azhar, Qawwal Asif Ali Santoo and music producer Sarmad Ghafoor had a difficult time picking a winner.

Osaid Alam, a student from Punjab College of Information Technology was among the winners. Inspired by renowned naat khawan Syed Zabeeb Masood Shah, Alam started reciting naats from a young age. He was mentored by his teacher Syed Manzoorul Konain Shah, who helped him polish his talent.

Ayesha Rasheed, a doctoral student from University of Punjab, was another winner, who derived inspiration from Abida Perveen. Rasheed has won a number of district and national level accolades since a very young age for singing sufi kalams, including the Kalam-e-Iqbal competition and the Unique Drama Festival in Lahore. The third winner was 17-year-old Ayesha Tariq, a second year student from Lahore, passionate about hamd-o-naat and sufi ghazals.

“It would be unfair for us to single out one winner as the three finalists were at par with their skills, hence we have decided to award all three as co-winners,” said Mr Santoo, while congratulating the winners. All three received a certificate and cash prize, which will be divided between them, equally. They will also each receive a recording session on Serena Sarangi Nights, an online live music initiative which is broadcast around the world.

The competition is one of the hotels’ cultural diplomacy initiatives, which aims to foster the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan and promote arts along with activities that inspire peace and hope. Over the years, it has become a powerful platform that gives undiscovered musical talent, from around the country, a chance to step into the limelight. Samples of performances are sent online and later polished by professionals in the music industry.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2020