Reshammiya, Sunidhi, Sukhwinder win music

ATLANTIC CITY: Bollywood favourite Himesh Reshammiya and singers Sukhwinder Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan have won top honours at the star-studded Bollywood 2006 Music Awards.

Reshammiya, who has composed and sung many chart-topping tunes in Bollywood, was adjudged the Best Music Director for Imraan Hashmi-starrer "Aashiq Banaya Aapne".

Sukhwinder Singh won the Best Male Singer for his rendition of the title song of the critically acclaimed film "Omkara", while Sunidhi got the honours for "Kaisi Paheli", which was picturised on the enigmatic Rekha in "Parineeta".

It turned out to be a double whammy for Singh whose "Omkara" song was also voted Best Song of the Year in the glittering five-hour extravaganza at Trump Taj Mahal Casino on Saturday night.

The awards are based on polling conducted among Non-Resident Indians.

Indian-origin jazz diva Asha Puthli was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award. Born and brought up in Mumbai, Puthli, who is also a writer and producer, immigrated to the US to pursue jazz and scored big in the 1970s.

Indian Idol 2006 Sandeep Acharya won in the Best New Talent category for his debut pop album "Mere Saath Sara Jahan".

Kailesh Kher's "Kailasa" was adjudged the Best Pop Album and Babul Supriyo was voted the Best Male Pop Singer for his album "Kuch Aisa Lagta Hai".

There was finally some good news for Mika Singh after the Rakhi Sawant controversy as his troupe got the Best Bhangra Group award.

Britain's Desi hip hop group Sona Family won the award for Best Dance Video for their hip-shaker "Ek Glassy"

Grammy award-winner Michael Bolton, Slinger Franscisco, popularly known as Mighty Sparrow, and Pakistani singer Shahlda Mini were presented special awards by the organisers.

Accepting the award, Bolton said he loved India because of its strong spiritual connection and added he might visit the country next year.

Apart from Sukhwinder Singh and Kailash Kher, Kumar Sanu regaled the audience.