Hemant Bisht’s lyric is state song

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 6

Uttarakhand has got its state song. Chief Minister Harish Rawat dedicated it to people at a function held here today.

The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to chairperson of the State Song Selection Committee Laxman Singh Batohi, its lyricist Hemant Bisht, composer and singer of the song Narender Singh Negi and Anuradha Saras and other members of the committee.

He said the song incorporated the culture, history, geography and identity of the people of Uttarakhand. “it’s an effort to summarise our vast culture in a few words. It contains the spirit of Uttarakhand, besides respecting our local dialects,” he said..

Rawat requested the committee to prepare a short draft (2 to 3 minutes) of this 9-minute song so that it could be sung at official programmes. However, the basic spirit of the song should not be affected.

Batohi said the committee had received 203 entries but the song written by Hemant Bisht was unanimously selected. The song is about the local culture and uses both Garhwali and Kumaoni dialects. He added that three entries were received for composing the song but the composition of Narender Singh Negi was found most suitable.

Negi said a short draft of the state song, as the Chief Minister has demanded, would be prepared by the month end. The Chief Minister also felicitated Batohi, Hemant Bisht and Narender Negi on the occasion.