Mysore/Mysuru: The 21st edition of the Annual ‘Geeth Gaatha Chal’ Musical Nite by Doctors and their family enthralled the audience at MMC&RI Platinum Jubilee Hall in J.K. Grounds here last evening, with singers coming up with their best.

The stage was decorated with colourful lights for the grand event, which began with Dr. Deepika, Dr. Chaitra, Dr. Rashmi, Dr. B.N. Rashmi, Dr. Sonia Mandappa, Dr. Pushpalatha and Dr. Roopa Prakash rendering invocation ‘Gananayakaya Ganadevataya’ in a dance format.

The musical nite formally began with Dr. M.S. Natashekhar and his daughter Apoorva singing the hit song ‘Madhura Maduravee Manjula Gaana’ from the Kannada film ‘Sati Sukanya.’

Dr. P.A. Kushalappa presented ‘Tum Pukar Lo’ from the r Hindi film ‘Khamoshi,’ followed by Dr. A.L. Hemalatha who sang ‘Mera Dil Ye Pukare Aaja’ from ‘Nagin’ and Dr. Snehashree ‘Beeti Na Bitaye’ ( Amar Prem).

Dr. U. Ganesh Rao sang ‘Ek Haseen Sham Ko’ from ‘Dulhan Ek Raat Ki’ and also a duet ‘Athi Madhura Anuraga’ with Dr. Snehashree while Dr. Sushma Krishna Murty sang ‘Omme Ninnannu Kanthumba’ from ‘Gaali Maathu’, Dr. Natashekhar sang ‘Dost Dost Na Raha’ from Hindi film ‘Sangam,’ Dr. Amrutha sang a solo ‘O Sajna’ and a duet ‘Chod Do Aachal Zamana Kya’ with her husband  Dr. Suraj Upadhyaya.

Dr. Kushalappa and Dr. Preethi Prabhu rendered a duet ‘Jaane Ja Dhoondta Phir Raha’ (film ‘Jawani Diwani’) and Dr. Varsha sang the title song of the Hindi hit film ‘Kabhi Kabhie.’

Dr. U.G. Shenoy and his daughter Sparsha Shenoy presented a Kannada duet ‘Jeeva Veene Needu Miditada Sangeeta’ from ‘Hombisilu,’ Dr. Ravikumar enthralled with a number from Hindi film ‘Kismat’, Dr. Shivani Nayak from the Hindi film ‘Sharmeelee,’ Ranjitha and her husband Prithvi Shankar sang ‘Joteyali Jote Joteyali’ from ‘Geeta’, Dr. Seethalaxmi rendered ‘Tunturu Alli Neera Hadu’ a popular number from Kannada film ‘Amrutha Varshini’ while her husband  Dr. Somnath Vasudev rendered  ‘Dil Dhoondta Hai’ from the Hindi movie  ‘Mausam.’ Dr. Shyam Prasad sang ‘Yeh Chand Sa Roshan Chehra.’

Apart from the rendering of popular hits, the event also featured a group dance choreographed by Mrs. Sparsha Shenoy. Dancers Shilpa, Varsha, Tanmayi, Anagha, Samruddhi, Chetana, Sumpana, Yamini, Sushma and Pooja danced to the tune of old hit songs, which drew a thunderous applause from the gathering.

Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra Founder Editor K.B. Ganapathy and Ralie Ganapathy were felicitated on the occasion.

Thanking the ‘Geeth Gaatha Chal’ team for felicitating him, Ganapathy said that it is the time of freebies and guarantees.

Therefore, the honour he had received too was accidental and free, adding that these are the days of ‘Uchitha, Nischitha and Kachitha’ sending the audience into peals of laughter.

Pointing out that his ‘Guru’ Prof. G.T. Narayana Rao (GTN) often used to say that there are only two things in the world that are available for free — Sunlight and Air — he said that now in the changing times, several freebies are ruling the roost and accordingly, he thinks that this felicitation, which he had not expected at all, came free to him.

“The organisers say that I was felicitated for my life-time achievement. But  I think I have achieved less in my life. Today, a teenage cricketer makes name and fame by his performance. Likewise, there are others such as musicians, scientists and professionals from different fields who have become achievers at an young age. However, my journey was a long one,” he noted.

Continuing, he said we are sailing in a boat to reach a destination. But no one knows where one will reach in the journey of life. “However, I feel that I and my wife have landed in a good and safe place amid a musical environment this evening,” he said. He wished the musical team all success in its future events.

Dr. M. Jagannath Shenoy, Industrialist and Philanthropist and Kusuma Shenoy, have been patronising and sponsoring this event all these years.

Speaking after felicitating K.B. Ganapathy, Dr. Jagannath Shenoy said the musical event has been going on successfully for the past 21 years and every year, opportunities are given to new talents. He lauded the efforts of  Founder-Patron Dr. C. Umesh Kamath and Organising Chairperson Dr. Kushalappa in hosting this much-awaited event.

He also thanked K.B. Ganapathy for his unstinted support for this musical event and reaching out to Mysureans who have made this auditorium houseful this evening.

Senior Surgeon Dr. C.G. Narasimhan, Sam Cherian, Founder of Schevaran Laboratories  Pvt. Ltd. and Kusuma Shenoy were among those present.

A one-minute silence was observed to pay homage to Dr. M.S. Vishveshwara, Oncologist at Bharath Cancer Hospital, who used to be closely associated with Geeth Gaatha Chal and those who died in the recent Railway accident.

Syed Aftab Ahmed ably compered the show.