• Director of FABS Media – Mr. Bobby Philips,
• CEO of Adonai Group – Ms. Linda Mani,
• Board of Director of Cricket Fiji and President of Suva Cricket Club – Mr. Sumantha Rout,
• Our very talented Performers, Musicians and Judges of tonight, 
• Our Beautiful audience,
• Members of the media,
• Children,
• Ladies & gentlemen and not forgetting those who are watching through digital platform from Australia and New Zealand.

 
Namaste and Bula Vinaka
 
Firstly, let me thank Mr. Bobby Philips of Adonai Group for extending his very kind invitation to join you this evening and watch our young talented performers. I didn’t think of seeing this live on stage here in Fiji with such upcoming artists and musicians as we are so attached to watching “India’s got talent” on TV and just admire the fascinating talent of young stars. 
 
I was told that Nilesh Kumar, who is now our Counsellor at Fiji High Commission in India and Sumantha Rout started the “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa” sometime back with four seasons leading to the final. And today we are going to watch our stars yet again, but on another platform that will get the qualifier competing internationally through Samrat – Bollywood’s Voice of Fiji for the first time. Indeed, this is milestone and I thank Bobby and Linda for making this happen and also Sumantha and Dipa Sharma.
 
I would also like to place on record the excellent contribution of the Indian Council of the Cultural Relations (ICCR) for bringing an extraordinary and historic event called “Sur” and I understand that renowned Bollywood Music director Niikhil Kamat would be a celebrity-judge from Mumbai. Another renowned Bollywood actor – Shishir Sharma would be joining the event for 10 minutes later tonight (prior to the start of contest) to motivate the contestants with greetings and good wishes, I am informed. 
 
Ladies and Gentleman, FABS Media along with ADONAI Group has created something unique and profound for us, for our young artists to showcase their skills and talent and become stars of tomorrow on an international stage and I commend them gracefully. I am told that the winner from Fiji will get a “golden ticket entry” to compete in Sur Samrat - Bollywood's Voice of Oceania in Sydney on April 30. That would be exciting, Ladies and Gentlemen, and we all will await that day to watch our very own on the global stage! 
 
This evening, Ladies and Gentlemen, will no doubt be an exciting event filled with fun and hope as our young talents entertain us with their beautiful voice and musical skills. I am a keen listener of music myself and play some instruments as well at leisure. Ghulam Ali Sahib is my favourite and best and am sure most of you like him too. I enjoy many of his ghazals and the one that I can keep listening again and again is; “Chalo Ek Baar Fir Se, Ajnabi Ban Jaye hum Dono…”. 
 
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is perhaps my first official engagement, being invited as Chief Guest, as the Minister also responsible for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and I look forward to work with you in any way to promote our culture and traditions of all backgrounds. Music brings us together and provides us that comfort, relaxation, spirituality and closeness that we need and I believe that there is strong correlation between music and spirituality. 
 
The name “Bollywood” brings in good memories as we associate ourselves in Fiji with Hindi films, music and songs. Despite being away from India, through fourth and fifth and possibly sixth generations, our people have closely linked themselves with the traditions and different cultures of India. I regard Bollywood as one of the best Ambassadors of India given its popularity all over the world. 
 
Just last month Fiji con-jointly hosted the 12^th World Hindi Conference and we had more than a thousand people attending the three-day conference. I also had the pleasure to meet Minister for External Affairs – Hon Jaishankar and his Senior Officials; accompanied by India’s former High Commissioner to Fiji, Ambassador Sapkal Ji where we discussed many important bilateral issues between Fiji and India. 

We have promoted various languages and cultures in school and universities and we will continue to do so as per the mandate of the government. We are a multicultural country and such initiatives enhances our government’s policies. 
 
This evening, Ladies and Gentlemen is not about listening to speeches, but its more to listen and watch our young stars perform. I can confidently say that many hours of work would have gone in preparations and practicing to bring the best to the stage today. And I would like to wish each one of you the very best in your competition. I know that you will also give many challenges to the panel of judges too! So tonight, give your best, be confident, smart, determined and be second to none – be a winner!
 
Once again, I would like thank each one of you for making this event take stage and I wish you an eventful evening.

Dhanyavaad.