Support for Prashant

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Indian Idol 3 : Sikkim Chief Minister roots for Prashant

at 6:02 PM Posted by The Sikkim Times

Sikkim Students rally in support of Prashant Tamang


SINGTAM, September 14: The students from schools in and around Singtam today participated in a rally in support of Prashant Tamang.
Organised by the Fan Club of Singtam, the rally started at 10 am from the Traffic point to Lall bazaar and ended at the starting point.
Students of East Point Secondary School, Singtam Secondary School, Singtam Senior Secondary School, Baha'i School and Padma Narayan Memorial School walked the streets with banners beaming "Vote for Prashant" and shouting victory slogans.
According to Chetan Sapkota, social worker as well as Spokesperson, Fan Club of Singtam, a number of people including President SMTWA, Singtam, CP Pradhan, Ram Bhajan Prasad, President, Bihari Jagran Manch, Singtam addressed the gathering mainly to appeal votes for Prashant Tamang.

at 4:44 PM Posted by The Sikkim Times

Prashant sends video message for Indian Idol Nepal Concert

Indian Idol contestants to perform in Kathmandu;
Prashant sends video message

Photo source: THT

Six of the Indian Idol III contestants have arrived in Kathmandu to take part in two concerts here.
Emon Chatterjee, Meiyang Chang, Deepali, Ankita Mishra, Charu and Parleen arrived on Friday to take part in the Mero Mobile "Icons and Idols" performance. They will be joined by two Nepali pop singers Nima Rumba and Anil Singh.
The concerts are slated to be held at Pulchowk Engineering College ground on Saturday and Soaltee Crown Plaza hotel on Sunday.
The six Idol contestants also addressed a press meet in the capital on Friday. They said they were glad to be coming to Nepal for concert. They were also all praise for Prashant Tamang – who is at the top two position of the Indian Idol along with Amit Paul.
Indian Idol telecast by Sony Television is hugely popular in Nepal where Prashant has become a big star as he hails from a Nepali-origin family from Darjeeling, India. A constable with Kolkata Police, Prashant's craze has swept Darjeeling, Sikkim and other areas where Nepali-speaking people live. He is equally hot in Nepal where youths have started organising fund-raising campaigns to send SMS to help Prashant win the title. Prashant has also become the darling of Kolkata police community.
The idol contestants had brought with them a video message from Prashant Tamang. In the message, Prashant said he regretted at not being able to join the concert himself. He expressed best wishes for the concert and thanked all Nepalis for supporting him throughout the Indian Idol campaign.
Meanwhile, Nepalis living in the United States are planning to invite Prashant on a tour of the US to hold concerts there. Narayan Shrestha, president of Helping Hands Health Education, an NGO based in the US, has announced that he will soon take Prashant on a tour to several US cities

at 10:50 AM Posted by The Sikkim Times

Prashant fans out on streets - Service providers ready for SMS blitz


Siliguri, Sept. 14: Prashant Tamang can depend on a lot of votes from Siliguri.
Hundreds of fans of Prashant took to the streets today, holding up posters and banners, organising rallies and campaigning in favour of the Indian Idol contender. The final round of voting starts this evening after the two remaining contestants, Prashant and Amit Paul, perform one last time.
Amit, too, has a Siliguri connection, having spent his childhood years here before shifting to Shillong. However, the few posters and banners in his support seemed to be swamped by those in Prashant's favour.
Members of Netrabindu Club of Salugara, who have formed a Prashant Fan Club, took out a bike and car rally across the city this afternoon.
"We are confident that he will emerge as the winner," said club member Pankaj Pradhan. "Nevertheless, we don't want to take any chances and want to ensure that people send more votes."
With 65 motorcycles and 10 cars, the 500-odd rallyists also went to the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited office to request for uninterrupted power supply when the show is telecast on Sony this evening.
"We have also requested officials of BSNL and other cellphone service providers to keep their lines clear so that people can vote as much as they want to when voting begins today," Pradhan said.
Bengal urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya came out strongly in support of the hill talent.
"Like all his fans, I too want to see him emerge as the winner. His mellifluous voice has indeed mesmerised me," the minister said.
BSNL authorities and other mobile phone service providers are playing safe.
"Since thousands of messages will hit our 50-odd base trans-receiving stations in the hills once the voting lines open, we have increased their capacity by three times," said M.K. Nandi, the subdivisional engineer (public relations) of the Siliguri telecom district of BSNL. "In addition, all the 47 telephone exchanges in the hills have been put on alert. Employees have been deputed with necessary spares to avoid any problem."
BSNL officials requested Prashant fans not to get impatient if there is a delay in getting the delivery reports of SMS votes. "Once a vote is sent, it will surely be delivered," said an official.
Other mobile service providers, too, said they are ready to handle the messages that their customers would send in favour of the "new hero of Darjeeling".

at 8:27 AM Posted by The Sikkim Times

Sikkim raises campaign pitch for Prashant Tamang



Gangtok& Darjeeling: With barely a day left for the countdown to voting for the new Indian Idol 3, legions of Prashant Tamang 's fans today trooped onto the streets in Gangtok ,Rangpo,Singtam,Namchi,Darjeeling,Kurseong,etc. to garner votes for the new singing sensation of the Himalayan hills.
Prashant has crossed the penultimate hurdle in one of India's most popular music talent shows on Sony TV.
Leaving no stone unturned, Prashant Tamang Central CoOrdination Committee, the main force backing the singer with the "sensuous voice," even roped in popular local celebrities joining them Mother Rupa Tamang and Elder sister Archana Tamang on whirlwind tours of Sikkim towns through out the week.
Prashant has sung many a song for KolkattaPolice Orchestra in several of their programmes and the Kolkatta Police is adding extra step to boost a campaign in his favour .
As the caravan of vehicles with threaded its way through the bustling streets of towns and capital of Sikkim, the number of die hard Prashant fans started swelling.
"Prashant son of hills and a great singer. We want him to win the contest and make us all proud. We want all to generously vote for the talented singer," said prashnat's sister as the caravan reached the last leg of the daylong campaign in Rangpo.
Echoing her, Many ministers of government of Sikkim appeared on local television: "We want Prashant to win the show as he is a great talent and deserves nothing less than the winner's crown. We want all to vote for Prashant Tamang to help him come up trumps as he is Pahar Ko Choro."
With folded hands and thousand-watt smiles, Prashant's Mother and elder sister requested music lovers in Sikkim & all across Darjeeling hills to vote for Prashant.
The local stars also distributed handouts featuring Prashant. Chief Minister of Sikkim Dr. Pawan Chamling has assured all out support to Prashant and effect of his appeal is already showing in free phone booths coming up everywhere in Sikkim to enable people cast their votes. Even the Opposition leader of SPCC Nar Bahadur Bhandari appealed to Sikkim CM to release funds for Prashant Tamang Campaign from state government coffers. A issue that has joined every soulin Sikkim and surrounding Darjeeling hills in one common thread. Chief Minister of Sikkim remarked it is not about politics but it is about an emotional bond of community that people of hills represents that Prashant has become symbol of across all barriers.

Mother of Prashant has promised to people of Sikkim to bring his son to Sikkim immediately after the finals ,even before he visits again home town Darjeeling.
"Shillong and Guwahati are twin cities of the Northeast. If Prashant is from Darjeeling, it is in Gangtok where he got die hard fan support in all fronts. We are here in the Sikkim to appeal to Sikkimese people to vote for Prashant. After meeting the music lovers of the Sikkim, we are sure that residents of Gangtok and all other towns across Sikkim will be sending their votes for Prashant in hordes," a member of the forum said.
Between Prashant and the coveted Indian Idol 3 title lies a hurdle — the charming singer Amit Paul from Shillong.
Prashnat's path to fame is, however, not entirely hassle-free.
He calls himself a struggling singer who had given up his studies to pursue a job to support his family, after his father expired.
When the chance to participate in the Indian Idol contest came along, Prashant thought it was a godsend and grabbed the opportunity.
Never Voted out once, Never appeared in danger zone except once and has not looked back since.
When Prashant visited Darjeeling on August 31 after five months in Mumbai, he was accorded the homecoming of a hero. His arrival seemed to bridge the divide between people if ever existed anytime for any issue.All shared one bond, one cry,one dream : dream of Prashant Tamang

at 6:08 PM Posted by The Sikkim Times

SIKKIM GOVERNMENT COLLEGE COMES FORWARD IN SUPPORT OF PRASHANT


GANGTOK, September 13: The Principal, Deputy Secretary (Administrative Officer), staff and students of Sikkim Government College, Tadong have extended their wholehearted support and best wishes to Prashant Tamang for winning the Indian Idol 2007.
A committee named Prashant Campaign Committee consisting of staff and students of the college has also been formed.
A press release issued by the committee informs that they have been encouraging all members of the college to send as many SMS as possible. It also informs that the campaign drive is on to raise funds. "The staff and students have been donating freely to the campaign fund so that maximum amount can be raised and SMS can be sent," the release further states.
The committee has assured that they would be able to send votes worth Rs 50,000.
While appreciating the efforts of the college and the students in this campaign, the release informs that a large screen projector has been arranged at the college auditorium to witness the grand finale.
"We do hope and pray that our Himalayan Boy Prashant Tamang goes ahead to win this competition," the release concludes.

at 5:57 PM Posted by The Sikkim Times

PRASHANT'S FRIENDS CLUB @ RANGPO, SIKKIM


RANGPO, September 14: Almost all the Non Government Organizations based in and around Rangpo have formed a joint organisation recognised as Prashant's Friends Club here at Rangpo this morning.
The newly formed club made its first appearance in welcoming Prashant Tamang's mother, Rupa Tamang and delegates at Singtam, Rangpo (West Bengal) and Monsong (West Bengal).
A motor car rally was also organized from Singtam to Rangpo.
After a day's stay in Sikkim, Mrs. Tamang and her team stopped at Rangpo on their way to Darjeeling to personally thank the people who had been voting for Prashant as well as to seek further votes to make him the next Indian Idol.
"After visiting Sikkim we are confirmed that Prashant is the next Indian Idol and after the Indian Idol competition Prashant will directly come to Sikkim, announced Raju Chettri, police staff from Kolkata. ,
Various institutions including Rangpo Junior High School, Rangpo Secondary School, Majhitar Junior High School have started collecting donation to vote for Prashant. The United Taxi Jeep Drivers Association has also come forward in support of Prashant while the labourers of Sikkim Distilleries Ltd. have held a grand rally in support of Prashant.
The Cincona Plant workers at Monsong after having contributed Rs. 5000 handed over the amount to Mrs Tamang today.

at 5:51 PM Posted by The Sikkim Times