Shillong Chamber Choir releases a new track as a tribute to founder Neil Nongkynrih
'I had almost forgotten this song until one day, a choir member reminded us. Listening to it again, we felt it was meant to be shared with all our listeners. It's a thank you, a celebration of love, gratitude and the steadfast bonds that hold us together,' said Banlam Lyndem, Bass of the choir. The accompanying video, is a beautiful visualisation of Uncle Neil's enduring presence — offering glimpses of cherished moments.
Founded in 2001 by composer, conductor and pianist Neil Nongkynrih, the SCC began as a small group of dedicated singers and dreamers under his mentorship. Over the past two decades, the ensemble has evolved into one of India's celebrated musical groups, blending rich harmonies, emotional depth and technical brilliance. Winners of India's Got Talent, 2010, the choir's journey since then has been marked by a string of national and international accolades.
Renowned for their unique blend, their repertoire includes songs in 40 different languages ranging from Opera to Rock, Folk to Jazz, Hindustani classical to current chart toppers as well as major collaborations with Alan Walker, Boney M, Amitabh Bachchan and Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Neil Nongkynrih passed away in 2022, but his vision and artistry remain at the heart of the choir's music. 'More than just focusing on the voice, he worked on the individual. That's perhaps why, nearly two decades later, we're still here — singing together,' shared tenor William Basaiawmoit.
With the mentor's passing, the choir continues to work on various projects — from their usual medleys to originals, albums in Khasi (native language of Meghalaya) to the opera, 'Sohlyngngem', composed by Neil. 'We also have many unreleased songs on the shelf. Three of our music videos of Bollywood medleys in different styles of arrangements are being released by Saregama in August, September and October on various social media platforms,' said Kynsaibor Lyngdoh, manager of the choir.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
16 hours ago
- The Hindu
Shillong Chamber Choir releases a new track as a tribute to founder Neil Nongkynrih
The internationally acclaimed Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC) has released a new track, 'You came into our lives', a heartfelt reflection on love, friendship and the transformative power of music. Written by the choir's founder and mentor, Neil Nongkynrih, along with his friend, Deelip Kumar Sahu, the song is a moving tribute to Uncle Neil's friends and family. Released on the occasion of his 55th birth anniversary (July 9), the song reflects the profound impact that he had on the lives of the choir members. 'I had almost forgotten this song until one day, a choir member reminded us. Listening to it again, we felt it was meant to be shared with all our listeners. It's a thank you, a celebration of love, gratitude and the steadfast bonds that hold us together,' said Banlam Lyndem, Bass of the choir. The accompanying video, is a beautiful visualisation of Uncle Neil's enduring presence — offering glimpses of cherished moments. Founded in 2001 by composer, conductor and pianist Neil Nongkynrih, the SCC began as a small group of dedicated singers and dreamers under his mentorship. Over the past two decades, the ensemble has evolved into one of India's celebrated musical groups, blending rich harmonies, emotional depth and technical brilliance. Winners of India's Got Talent, 2010, the choir's journey since then has been marked by a string of national and international accolades. Renowned for their unique blend, their repertoire includes songs in 40 different languages ranging from Opera to Rock, Folk to Jazz, Hindustani classical to current chart toppers as well as major collaborations with Alan Walker, Boney M, Amitabh Bachchan and Ustad Zakir Hussain. Neil Nongkynrih passed away in 2022, but his vision and artistry remain at the heart of the choir's music. 'More than just focusing on the voice, he worked on the individual. That's perhaps why, nearly two decades later, we're still here — singing together,' shared tenor William Basaiawmoit. With the mentor's passing, the choir continues to work on various projects — from their usual medleys to originals, albums in Khasi (native language of Meghalaya) to the opera, 'Sohlyngngem', composed by Neil. 'We also have many unreleased songs on the shelf. Three of our music videos of Bollywood medleys in different styles of arrangements are being released by Saregama in August, September and October on various social media platforms,' said Kynsaibor Lyngdoh, manager of the choir.
News18
21 hours ago
- News18
This Gin Bottle Tells The Unique Story Of Cherrapunji's Culture
Last Updated: Cherrapunji Gin, named after the famous town in Meghalaya, has gained attention not only for its smooth flavour but also for the story behind its bottle. Gin has countless admirers and one brand from India has managed to stand out with both taste and design. Cherrapunji Gin, named after the famous town in Meghalaya known as the rainiest place on Earth, has gained attention not only for its smooth flavour but also for the story behind its bottle. A content creator, Vineeta Wagh, has now shared how much effort went into making the design, which was created by artist Reshidev RK. The bottle has artwork inspired by the culture and beauty of Cherrapunji. If you look closely, the design includes bamboo forests, red pandas, monoliths, a colonial era bus, the mandarin duck and of course, the endless rainfall of the region. A Bottle That Tells a Story Taking to Instagram, the content creator explained, 'This brand makes gin from rainwater and it is made in literally the rainiest place on earth and its bottle is a piece of art. I am talking about Cherrapunji gin, which comes from a land where it rains 11 months of a year and the founder thought why not bottle this freshness into a spirit. What's remarkable about this brand is that the design of the bottle encapsulates the soul of Meghalaya so beautifully with every piece of art designed on the bottle." 'While you'll see most of the alcohol brands bottling their alcohol in a glass bottle, this brand said, 'Let me go sustainable' and launched this gin in a military grade stainless steel bottle. The artwork is like a folk mural designed by Reshidev RK. If you look closely, you will see bamboo forest, a mandarin pecker, a colonial era bus, red pandas, monoliths, and endless rain that makes Cherrapunji what it is," Vineeta Wagh highlighted. Flavours of the Northeast Vineeta explained that Cherrapunji Gin is made using 12 botanicals sourced from the northeast of India. She said the flavour highlights its culture, nature and even its rainfall. After visiting Meghalaya, she compared the feeling of drinking the gin to tasting the pure water of the region, which feels refreshing. For her, it is exciting to see alcohol brands moving away from standard stories and creating products that genuinely connect with the place they come from. According to the makers, the ingredients are gathered from areas near Raincheck Earth's distillery to keep the process local and authentic. The gin is made with juniper picked from the eastern Himalayas, Khasi mandarins that have a special geographical tag, smoked tea from the Lushai Hills, and aromatic lime from the Assam Valley. view comments Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 19, 2025, 13:19 IST News viral This Gin Bottle Tells The Unique Story Of Cherrapunji's Culture | Video Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Did Apoorva Mukhijas ex, Utsav Dahiya, take a dig at her ? Check out his Insta post
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 19 (ANI): Popular YouTuber Apoorva Mukhija, best known as The Rebel Kid, is back in the headlines once again. At a time when India's Got Talent controversy appears to have died down, Apoorva's ex-boyfriend, Utsav Dahiya, seems to be taking a sharp dig at her. Taking to his Instagram handle, Utsav shared a video of himself singing a song for the "cute little red flag" (a phrase Apoorva often uses in her videos). Mentioning that the relationship lasted for twenty weeks, Utsav went on to ask his former partner to stop targeting him. "I asked why you called me disgusting in front of the world, you said, This is all business for me," Utsav sang at one point. In his caption, Utsav went on to add, "Never try to gain sympathy by fabricating lies or pushing false narratives just to make content and assassinate someone's character online. Having a big following doesn't give you the right to bully your way by rage-baiting your audience and unleashing them on others." The video instantly became a topic of discussion for many, as social media users joined in to connect the dots. One wrote, "Life really said plot twist. Now she's the Taylor Swift fan, but he's the one dropping breakup tracks," while another added, "What's the teaaaaaaa? Amid the dramatic comments, a section of other users were seen appreciating Utsav's singing skills. Even though fans believed that the song was intended for Apoorva Mukhija, Utsav refrained from mentioning her name in his post. The YouTuber, who reportedly broke up with Utsav Dahiya in January last year, is yet to comment on the video. Apoorva was recently seen in the first season of 'The Traitors.' (ANI)
