Rajul Hegde in Mumbai
The countrdown has started and Indian Idol Junior has reached its top 10.
Now, these children are fighting it out to stay till the grand finale and win the title.
Who is your favourite contestant on Indian Idol Junior? Click through the slide show and VOTE at the end!
Debanjana Karmakar, 14
Place: Kolkata, West Bengal
Since the age of four, Debanjana has been learning classical music from her father, a music teacher. At the age of 10, she started learning from Sri Joyonto Sarkar.
Debanjana can sing all types of songs but is more comfortable in classical songs. She likes old melodies of Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar.
She known she faces tough competition, but personally loves Anmol’s and Sonakshi’s voices.
Debanjana wants to teach science some day and work towards preserving the environment. She wants to educate people about the importance of conserving nature. She re-uses the biodegradable waste in her kitchen garden too.
Her wish is to meet Lata Mangeshkar and get some good tips from her. She wants to become famous as a playback singer.
Akash Sharma, 13
Place: Kanina Khas, Haryana
His father sells fruit from a cart but the son shows musical talent. Akash is passionate about singing. He is self-trained and practises regularly at home. He participates in musical nights in big cities.
"I have travelled with my dad to all the places and slept at railway stations," says Akash.
Akash can sing in the voice of a female as well. He wishes to become the first Indian Idol Junior and make his parents proud. He also wants to be able to financially support his family.
“I don’t have anyone to train me in the village but here I am being trained under the best guru on the show,” says an excited Akash.
Sonu Nigam is his idol, and he wants to be a playback singer.
He feels Anmol is his toughest competitor.
Sughanda Amol Date, 8
Place: Nagpur, Maharashtra
Sughanda is the youngest contestant on Indian Idol and is passionate about singing. Her mother is a music teacher; who quit her work to concentrate on Sugandha's music and studies.
She started learning music from her mother when she was five years old. At the age of six she started her formal training in light music from Shri Anirudh Joshi.
“I felt bad when I wasn’t selected in the top 10. I was sent as the surprise wild card to the show.”
The best compliment she got was from Shekar (judge) during the Manna Dey around: “Next time you come here, you will sit on the judge’s seat.”
She thinks Anmol and Eman are the best singers on the show. Lata Mangeshkar is her favourite singer and she wants to be a playback singer when she grows up.
Anmol Jaswal, 14
Place: Jammu
Anmol started singing at the age of two, inspired by his parents who are music teachers; his father runs a music institute.
He learns classical music from his father. He aspires to be an all-rounder in music. His dream is to meet and take the blessings of Lata Mangeshkar.
He has participated in Lil Champs, where he ended in the top 12, and Chote Ustad, a music reality show.
On his most memorable moment, he says, “During auditions in Chandigarh, the judges gave bad expressions (sic). Later, Vishal Sir came and complimented me on my singing.”
He feels Debanjana is a threat to him.
His favourite judge is Vishal.
Sonakshi Kar, 10
Place: Kolkata, West Bengal
Sonakshi started learning classical music at the age of five from Joyonto Sarkar. Her father is a singer and her grandfather used to teach music.
“I am enjoying everything but thinking of the elimination process makes me nervous,” she says.
She too wishes to meet Lata Mangeshkar some day.
Does she watch her performance on television? “No, we are not allowed to watch any of the Idol episodes. I get the feedback from my father, relatives and friends. My father records every episode. I will watch them when I go back.”
She loves collecting bags/purses. “I ensure that I always carry a purse wherever I go, and even when I sing on the show,” says Sonakshi.
She hopes to become a Hindi and Bengali playback singer.
Sankalp Yeduvanshi, 12
Place: Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Sankalp has been learning classical music for the last five years. His grandfather and father are singers. Currently, he is learning from his father.
He has participated in and won several singing competitions. He stood first in the Sangam Kala Group and Sur Sangam’s all India competition. He auditioned for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, the singing reality show.
Sankalp says, “Judges say that I am a versatile singer. During auditions they said that I will reach the top three. With those inspiring words, every day I worked hard to make the prediction come true.”
Sonakshi, Debanjana and Anjana are his competitors, he says.
He too wants to be a playback singer, go on a World Tour and own the most expensive and coolest cars in the world.
Eman Choudhary, 15
Place: Guwahati, Assam
Eman has been learning classical music from Sujit Roy and Sushant Chowdhary for four years. She wants to be a famous playback singer and also get recognition internationally as a singer. She loves playing guitar, dancing, painting and writing.
“This is the first time I have participated in a reality show. The best part of auditioning was the excitement of going in front of the judges and singing.”
She received the best compliment from Vishal. “The judges said my singing is of international level. Vishal sir said, let this year pass and at the age of 16, playback singing starts. And then he said, “lots of music directors are going to come to you.”
Rihanna is her idol and she wants to get an opportunity to record a song with her. Richa Sharma and Jaspinder Narula are her favourite Indian singers.
Eman feels Anmol is her toughest competitor. “He has been learning music from one of the best teachers who has trained many in various reality shows,” said Eman.
Anjana Padmanabhan, 10
Place: Bangalore, Karnataka
Anjana’s parents realised that she can sing when she was seven years old. She learnt Carnatic music for one year from Akila, and has been learning Hindustani Classical for the last three months from Shriman Pandit Hegde. She learns Bollywood songs from her father.
This is her second reality show. She even reached the semi finals of a Tamil reality show on ETV.
Of Indian Idol, Anjana says, “This show has been my favoruite and I’ve always wished to get one chance to sing on this platform. Being one of the top 10 contestants on the show is my dream come true. I really went mad when the result was announced.”
Shreya Ghosal is her favourite judge. “We have Shreya's fan club in my building and people have asked me to get her picture and autograph. But I haven’t got the opportunity to take her autograph. I will definitely take it before I go back.”
She wants to become a singer or a pilot.
Priyam Bhorpatra Gohain, 14
Place: Sivasagar, Assam
Priyam has been learning singing for the last six years -- Classical from Kajal Mohan, and Modern Folk from Prabin Mohan.
She has been learning classical singing and modern folk songs for the last six years and wants to become a playback singer.
She wants to make a museum in her hometown, displaying musical instruments from all over the world. She wants to become a playback singer or a chartered accountant.
Nirvesh Sudhanshubhai Dave, 14
Place: Ahmedabad, Gujurat
Nirvesh started singing at the age of four. He is a trained classical music singer and is now learning semi-classical singing. His parents sing sometimes, and his elder brother plays the synthesizer.
He has performed at various stage shows. Nirvesh has also done the voice-over for a few Gujarati films and is quite popular in the Gujarati communities.
Nirvesh thinks Sonakshi is a good singer and is his toughest competitor. He wants to be a successful music director and a singer.
“It feels good when people recognise me and ask for my autograph and when I see our hoardings all around,” says Nirvesh.
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