Mangaluru teen Munaz sings ‘Zaalima’ cover with singers across countries

Safoora Ali
June 22, 2017

It was her love for singing that encouraged Munaz Mariam, a 19-year-old from Mangaluru, to participate in an online initiative aimed towards creating bonds among youth from different backgrounds through music.

munazmangaluru

SAMAA - a band based in Chicago, USA - invited people to send cover versions of two popular Bollywood songs, in an effort to bring them together. When the initiative #singwithSAMAA was started initially, the band received responses not only from India, but also from Pakistan and other countries. It was then that SAMAA decided to select entries from singers of all nationalities.

munz 2When Munaz decided to send her cover version of 'Zaalima' from the Bollywood movie 'Raees' to this initiative three months ago, little did she expect that she would be featured in the final video compilation. Along with Munaz, the video features covers of 'Zaalima' , 'Afreen' and 'Sajde Kiye Hain Lakhon' sung by other Indians and Pakistanis, and two singers from Qatar and USA.

This video was uploaded by SAMAA on Facebook and YouTube, and has gathered over 2.8 lakh Views and over six thousand Likes since then. A look at the musical video shows people from India, Pakistan, Qatar and USA with a real talent for singing.

A student of St Aloysius College in Mangaluru, Munaz came across this initiative through SAMAA's social outlets and decided to give it a try. "It was a spontaneous decision and I had not expected that my cover would be selected. Their response was immediate and I was elated at the selection," she said. Munaz was further excited after the release of the final video when she realised she was the only singer from Karnataka to be featured.

"I had submitted my cover song keeping in mind that I was an ordinary singer and I am really happy at being featured. Some of the other singers in the video are really good," said Munaz, who was also joyous at the positive comments she received in response to the video.

Other singers from India such as Anmol from New Delhi, Mahima and Vaibhavi from Mumbai, Sravya from Hyderabad, Chayanika from Golaghat and Vaidehi from Badlapur are featured in the compilation, while those from Pakistan include Ali from Sialkot, Dr Rabail from Hyderabad (Pak) and Mobeen from Islamabad. Vinutha from Doha, Qatar and Justin from New Jersey, USA have also been featured. Interestingly, another singer in the video, Romesa from Lahore, Pakistan, is only a little girl.

At a time of restlessness and animosity between sections of people in India and Pakistan, efforts such as #singwithSAMAA initiative come like a whiff of fresh air. It also goes on to show that music can indeed bring people together.

With her participation in the musical endeavour, Munaz has not only helped towards building bridges across borders, but has also formed new friendships in the process.

click here for the video

Comments

Mahesh
 - 
Friday, 23 Jun 2017

wow nice to hear! festival for ears.

Ahmd
 - 
Saturday, 1 Jul 2017

Young Girl ! it would be better for you to recite your lord's word instead of film songs... God has given you a beautiful voice. please contemplate on reciting the word of God. Make a video of your lord's word so that many people who are unaware of their creator will know thru your beautiful voice.

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News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: "What corona? My children are hungry, they have walked from Gurugram with me do you think corona is what I fear?," Yogesh Gangwar who is salesman in a cloth showroom said as he wiped his tears.

Many others regret for not leaving the city early on.

"God knows when we will reach our hometown. My family was telling me to leave work early in March and get back, but I avoided suggestions and now I am stranded here," Babu Ram who hails from Rampur and works at a plastic recycling factory here in Mundka told media.

Migrant labourers were forced to walk as the public transport were closed and borders were sealed due to the lockdown.

"There is no food to eat, I cannot pay rent of room without my daily wages so I decided to walk with my family from Narela to here. I just hope I get a bus soon," Revati, who works as construction labour said as she fed her three-year-old with pieces of bread that one of the policemen at Anand Vihar gave her.

However, when Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh decided to deploy around 1,000 buses to help these workers reach their respective hometowns, thousands of them reached Anand Vihar ISBT with a hope to catch one of these buses.

The Delhi government also announced that 100 buses have been deployed to help those trying to reach to their homes in other states on foot.

In order to avoid the spread of the virus, the police asked the people to stand in three queues and also asked the people to de-board the overcrowded buses.

Earlier, budget passenger carrier SpiceJet had offered its aircraft to operate few flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to take migrant labourers, particularly from Bihar, who have got stuck in various parts of the country due to COVID-19 related lockdown.

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 29,2020

Dubai, Jun 29: Saeed bin Ahmed Al Lootah, a pioneering Emirati businessman and the founder of the world's first Islamic bank, is no more. He breathed his last on June 28.

Born in 1923, Saeed was instrumental in setting up the Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) in 1975 to provide the community with a Sharia-compliant alternative to conventional banking.

He established several companies, organisations and societies, including the Dubai Consumer Cooperative. He also established the Islamic Education School in 1983 and the Dubai Medical College for Girls in 1986.

In 1992, Haj Saeed established the first College of Pharmacology in Dubai. Later he launched the Dubai Centre for Environmental Research, the Dubai Specialised Medical Centre, and the Medical Research Labs for health control and research into medicinal herbs and Islamic (Nabawi) medicine. He also set up an orphanage.

Saeed bin Ahmed Al Lootah was a self-made businessman who progressed from being a seafarer and trader to an accomplished tutor, author, economist, banker, entrepreneur, businessman and visionary community leader.

According to details available on the S.S. Lootah Group website, his "fervent adherence to the core values of education, cooperation and economy" helped empower "people to excel at everything they do".

"He realised the need to build permanent houses and ventured into construction. His 'capital' at that time were his skills, knowledge and hard work," the website said.

He laid the foundation of S.S.Lootah Contracting Company as a joint venture with his brother Sultan in 1956. "With the enduring values of education, cooperation and economy set as the foundations of his work, Haj Saeed started a number of businesses as well as not-for-profit education and research ventures, with an aim to serve the people of the UAE.

"Thanks to his vision and leadership, our home grown ventures continue to demonstrate unique values that extend well beyond its functional benefits - creating greater economic, social and environmental benefits for people in UAE and beyond."

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took to Twitter on Sunday to offer his respects.

Sheikh Mohammed said: "He was a trader who started with nothing. His touch is visible in several aspects of the Dubai economy."

Calling the deceased a "wise and smart man", Sheikh Mohammed said: "May Allah bless his soul and grant his family the strength to endure and persevere."

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, also paid his respects. "He combined economic leadership with charitable work. He launched charitable educational institutions and sponsored many orphans. His memory will live on. May Allah have mercy on him and grant his family patience."

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News Network
February 14,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 14: In a unique initiative, students of a government school in Dakshina Kannada have made a food stop in the campus to provide water and food to birds and squirrels.

The students have hung coconut shells on trees in the school premises with food and water in it for birds and squirrels.

Speaking about the same, the Principal of the school said: "Students are taking a lot of interest in the activity. Various types of birds visit the school campus, making the ambience very nice."

He added that he wants children to become socially and environmentally conscious. "The one area where children need to be given exposure is the protection of the environment, the upkeep of the campus and the greenery in and around their homes as well as in their schools."

Commenting on the recent initiative of the school's eco-club, he said, "Using this small idea, we can have a great beginning towards taking up bigger initiatives to take care of the environment."

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