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Doha, Nov 29: Karnataka Sangha Qatar (KSQ), a united forum of Kannadigas working and residing in the tiny oil-rich country of Qatar, celebrated the 61st Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations with great fanfare and cultural extravaganza. The celebrations held at the Al-Wajba Ballroom, La Cigale Hotel, Doha on Friday November 25 were graced by Sandalwood star Shiva Rajkumar, renowned poet, novelist and write Doddarangegowda and noted actor Guru Dutt, son of legendary Chi Udayashankar. It was a full-house mega celebration with KSQ’s signature cultural extravaganza that dazed the audience.

The hugely-anticipated programme began with the introduction to the evening by compere of the day Roopa Gururaj who had specially been flown in for the celebrations from India. The programme was then formally inaugurated by lighting the lamp by Guest of honour Doddarangedowda, guest artist Dr K P Puthuraya, KSQ president H K Madhu, chairman of KSQ Advisory Board and immediate past president Deepak Shetty before the melodious KSQ team sang the welcome song Kannadave Satya.

KSQ is well-known in Qatar for organizing memorable events that provide plenty of entertainment to the audience, nourish culture and traditions of the native. Year after year KSQ comes up with programmes that remain etched in the memory of the Qatar Kannadigas. Music, dance, skits, comedy are hallmark of any KSQ celebration. This year was no exception as KSQ dished out a fantabulous evening that had everything that a true Kannadiga expects from Rajyotsava celebration like sensational singing, elegant dance, side-splitting humour and more. Every performance either by the guest artists flown in from India or local KSQ or other associations’ members was extraordinary and received a lot of praise and appreciation from stalwarts such as Shiva Rajkumar and Doddarangegowda.

Band Sushravya led by noted musician Suchetan Rangaswamy who is also seen mentoring SaReGaMaPa Kannada contestants presented some spectacular songs enchanting the audience. Along with Suchetan Sa Re Ga Ma Pa season 11 winner Channappa and finalist Aishwarya Rangarajan belted some of the most memorable numbers that had the audience asking for more.

The rib-tickling humour of stand-up comedian Dr Puthuraya was another special attraction of the evening. Dr Puthuraya has a huge fan-following among Kannadigas and his stupendous performance proved that there is no dearth to his charm whether it is in Karnataka or outside Karnataka. Special attraction of the evening and show-stopper though was Shiva Rajkumar whose soulful rendering of Kannada songs was applauded with thunderous applause by the audience. Along with this, members of KSQ, Tulu Koota Qatar, Bunts Qatar, and MCC also entertained the audience with their skits and dances.

A short stage programme was held after the guests of the evening P Kumaran, Indian Ambassador to Qatar, guests of honour Shiva Rajkumar, Doddarangegowda, Chi Guru Dutt and Dr K P Puthuraya were escorted to the stage by KSQ president H K Madhu, immediate past president Deepak Shetty, senior vice-president Venkat Rao, vice-president Subramanya Hebbagilu, general secretary Sandesh Anand and cultural secretary Sunil Kamalaksha and were presented with bouquets.

Guests of the evening Doddarangegowda, Shiva Rajkumar, and Guru Dutt were accorded special honour by Qatar Kannadigas and were felicitated on the occasion after they were introduced to the audience by Manjunath Rao, Vanitha Subramanya and Roopa Gururaj respectively. They were draped with shawl, presented with memento for their yeoman’s service to Kannada language and culture.

KSQ also felicitated several other achievers on the occasion. Karnataka Muslim Welfare Association president Niyaz Ahmed, Bunts Qatar president Ravi Shetty (recipient of International Aryabhata Award-2016) who have been conferred with prestigious Chikkamagaluru and Dakshina Kannada district Rajyotsava awards respectively this year, Milan Arun, who has been elected as the first lady president of the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) Qatar, ICBF president Arvind Patil who also happens to be the former president of KSQ Qatar, KSQ member Mahesh Gowda who has been elected to the panel of Indian Community Benevolent Forum, noted local musician Ashwin and KSQ Advisory Board and immediate past president Deepak Shetty who was the recipient of the prestigious International Aryabhata Award-2016.

KSQ’s annual in-house e-magazine Srigandha was also released on the occasion by the guests. While president H K Madhu welcomed the gathering, general secretary Sandesh Anand presented the annual report and senior vice-president Venkat Rao proposed the vote of thanks.

The entire event was fantastically compered by ace compere Roopa Gururaj whose stupendous vocabulary and amazing control of the event was at full display again.

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