Singer Shrikant Narayan in Limca Book of Records in Mohammed Rafi’s Honour ~ by : Niilesh A Raje

With a soul devoted to music and singing, when one is bestowed with a voice that resembles and reminiscences with an immortal singer like Mohammed Rafi, he needs to fulfill the memories with lilting tunes bringing the legendary singer to the fore. This exemplary person is none other than gifted singer Shrikant Narayan.

            On the occasion of Mohammed Rafi’s 88^th birth anniversary, Shrikant Narayan paid a rich tribute to the late iconic singer by performing 101 songs for non-stop 12 hours at Mumbai’s Rang Sharda auditorium. The event “Pukarta chala hoon main”, the first-ever of its kind was oragnised by Advocate Ashish Shelar, presented by Prasad Mahadkar of Jeevan Gani and managed by Rajesh Subramanian of Musicolor. Music arrangement was by Avinash Chandrachud and Chirag Panchal with the able support of female singers, Sarita Rajesh and Mona Kamat and 14 brilliant musicians giving a mellifluous support. Shrikant Narayan has recently been awarded National Record 2014 by Limca Book of Records for this melodious marathon feat. 

            The people who thronged around him in his college days for his singing talent asserted that he had the voice as melodious as that of the legend Late Mohammed Rafi. The style is still in vogue although now the singer has matured into creating his own persona in the field of music.

            Shrikant Narayan started more than 2 decades back and the first of his recordings won him a PLATINUM DISC for the Koli song ‘Dol Dotay Varyavar’. One can very well understand the dilemma that he must have gone through when he was adored as a singer who had the voice of Late Rafisaheb. This was a blessing in disguise so to say for the then young singer and he took upon himself to prove his merits. Studying all the songs in great depth, he was prepared for stage shows. At the same time he also appeared in LIVE stage performances under legendary music directors such as O. P. Nayyar, Ravi, Naushad, Khayyam and Laxmikant-Pyerelal duo.

            As a natural reward for his excellent musical presentations, Shrikant Narayan was awarded the coveted Government of Maharashtra award KALA BHUSHAN around a decade ago. He was the first South Indian to receive this award. He was also awarded the JAN PARISHAD AWARD from Madhya Pradesh…

            Music provides us pleasures that are soulful. Shrikant Narayan is one of those singers who has proved that only the dedication is supreme. As he rightly says, “Rafisaab ke jaisa gana mushkil nahi, namumkin hai…”

           

          A great future awaits Shrikant Narayan with more of his upcoming original albums. A musical treat to Thaneites is in the offing on the 21^st February 2014 at Dr.Kashinath Ghanekar Auditoirum, Thane, where Shrikant will perform immortal hits of Mohammed Rafi in WeCare’s upcoming event “Karishma of Kumars - Evergreen hits of Dilip Kumar and Rajendra Kumar”.