At radio channel launch, rapper Badshah sings paeans to Valley

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 19

Donning a Kashmiri ‘karakuli’ (hat), famous Indian rapper Badshah who was in Valley to officially launch Radio Mirchi 98.3 channel, said Kashmir needed proper positioning in the media as a tourist destination.

Badshah, whose real name is Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, also launched his latest hit single ‘Heartless’ from his debut album on the occasion.

“Kashmir needs proper positioning in terms of a tourist destination for image building. I like the fact that a lot of rappers are from Kashmir. Had I been grown up in Kashmir, my content would have also been related to this place. I really liked being here,” he said.

The popular channel, Radio Mirchi 98.3, is functioning in the Valley for the last more than a month but the channel was launched on Sunday at Vivanta by Taj by Badshah in the presence of radio jockeys and other staff of Radio Mirchi. “The music that will play on the station is a combination of contemporary Bollywood hits and popular Punjabi numbers with an especially created list of independent pop numbers mixed in. The content has been created around a Kashmir phrase-‘assivti lasiv’ (smile and prosper). Mirchi promises to keep the listeners hooked,” said RJ Vijdhan, who is on air on the channel from 7 pm to 10 pm in the evening. Nitin Singh, regional director, north and east, Radio Mirchi, said the company was excited to be in the Valley.

“We are so happy that we are here in Srinagar. We hope the people of the Valley like the content that we have created especially for them. Our aim is to spread ‘khushi’ amongst our listeners by bringing them the very best in entertainment,” he said during the launch.