Blind singer wins CM Talent Hunt Programme

Maria Kanwal won first prize and was awarded a cash prize Rs 150,000

Maria Kanwal, a  blind singer from Rawalpindi, won first prize in the Chief Minister Talent Hunt programme, and was awarded a cash prize  Rs 150,000.

Other talented singers were given cash rewards of Rs100,000 and Rs75,000, while five were given encouragement rewards worth Rs20,000 each. The top three singers would take part in the provincial level competition to be held in Lahore. Shields were given to all participants of the competition. The music competition was arranged under the auspices of Rawalpindi Arts Council.  A total of 24 singers aged 18-35, from Rawalpindi, Attock, Jehlum and Chakwal, were shortlisted to perform in the semi-finals from the 600 who auditioned.

The singers enthralled the audience with semi classical and folk songs while Khalid Siddiqui, Syed Tahir Raza and Mubashra Hafeez judged the competition.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2017.