Bahrain boy to contest in top Asian music challenge

A Bahrain resident has been selected as one of the top 16 contestants for an international music challenge to be held in India next month.

Indian Shiva Hari Varma has reportedly been chosen, from among 1600 contestants in the Middle East alone, to compete for the title of Asia’s Singing Superstar.

The 15-year-old Indian School Bahrain student was chosen at the Dubai auditions of the new reality TV show that will launch in November on Zee TV Middle East.

Separate auditions were also held in Pakistan and India and participants (of all ages) are required to sing in Hindi/Urdu. 
‘Asia’s Singing Superstar’ had launched a hunt for talented artistes from India, Pakistan and UAE.

Award-winning singers Shafqat Amanat Ali and Shankar Mahadevan will serve as the judges on the show.
Pakistani actor Ahsan Khan who appeared in films like ‘Nikah and ‘Billi’ will be hosting the show, along with Indian singer andcomposer Shweta Pandit who debuted with five songs in Yash Raj Films’ ‘Mohabbatein’.
Shiva, along with 15 other contestants, will be given extensive training by renowned singers in Delhi and then will compete with each other in the studio rounds between October 15 and November 15, 2015.

Bahrain-born Shiva is the only child of his parents Krishna Kumar Varma, who works as a manager in an insurance company and Lathika Varma, who is an engineer with Nass Group.

The family hails from Cherthala in the south Indian state of Kerala.

He began training to sing from the age of six under the tutorship of Lalitha Ambilikuttan at the Indian Institute of Performing Arts (IIPA), Segaiya.

He is now the disciple of her husband and IIPA’s principal and director Ambilikuttan Nair.  

Shiva believes to have got his singing genes from his father, he told News of Bahrain.

“I came to know of this contest through our family friend Mrs Pallavi,” he said. “I was eager to participate and my father is my inspiration mainly. I am excited and feel confident to face the competition in New Delhi.”

Shiva is a regular participant at competitions at his school and social clubs. “Twice I have won the title of Kala Prathibha (best male talent) at the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam and also get prizes for all music competitions at school,” he said.

He commends the unlimited support he gets from his school, teachers and friends. “They help me to catch up with all the schoolwork I miss due to the competition.”

Shiva is to leave to New Delhi tomorrow (October 16) with his parents.

“No matter how things go, I depend on The Almighty’s will and I am ready to accept both victory and failure in the same spirit. I am grateful to God for giving me such a wonderful opportunity and platform – to sing in front of some of the leading names from the India music industry.”

 Apart from singing, he also enjoys playing cricket. For the show’s grand finale, Pakistani Ghazal singer, Ghulam Ali, will be present as the Maha Guru will help the two judges select the eventual winner.
 Asia’s Singing Superstar launches on November 7 and will be telecast every Saturday at 9.30pm on Zee TV.