Doha, Qatar: Karnataka Sangha Qatar (KSQ), a prominent socio-cultural apex body functioning under the aegis of the Embassy of India, successfully hosted its grand musical extravaganza “Sambhrama 2026” at the DPS-MIS Auditorium in Al Wakrah. The grand evening celebrated Karnataka’s rich musical heritage under the theme, “The Voice of Kannada… The Joy of Hearts.”

The cultural evening commenced with a traditional welcome by Cultural Secretary Bhavana Naveen, followed by a security briefing from Joint Cultural Secretary Shashidhara H.B. The formal inauguration was led by Harish Pandey, First Secretary at the Indian Embassy, while KSQ General Secretary Sujith Kumar Hosdurga welcomed the gathering, emphasizing the forum’s dedication to keeping the Kannada language and culture alive in Qatar.

His Excellency Vipul, the Ambassador of India to Qatar, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, alongside Deputy Chief of Mission Sandeep Kumar. Legendary Indian playback singer and “Melody King” Rajesh Krishnan attended as the Special Guest. Other Guests of Honour included ICC President A.P. Manikantan, Fatima Al Maadeed from Qatar Auto Museum, and senior petroleum engineer Khalid Al Fakhroo, who were all felicitated by the executive committee.

KSQ President Subramanya Hebbagelu expressed his profound gratitude to the community leaders, sponsors, and patrons for supporting the community’s initiatives. The inaugural block concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Vice President Anil Bhasagi. The event was gracefully anchored by renowned compere Nataraj Shettykere, whose high-energy interaction kept the audience highly engaged.

The main highlight of the mega event was an electrifying live concert headlined by singer Rajesh Krishnan and his visiting musical troupe from India, featuring acclaimed co-singers Pushpa Aradhya, Seema Raikar, and Santosh Devaih. The ensemble delivered a spectacular mix of evergreen Kannada cinema classics, retro duets, and contemporary foot-tapping tracks, eliciting continuous cheers and multiple standing ovations from the packed audience. The technical proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks by Treasurer Manjoth Suresh.

Prominent apex body leaders including P.N. Baburajan, Deepak Shetty, M. Ravi Shetty, Arun Kumar, Vireesh Manangi, Madhu Kumar, Mahesh Gowda, and Sandeep Sriramareddy attended the gala night. The seamless execution of Sambhrama 2026 reflected the excellent teamwork of the 2026–2028 KSQ Managing Committee, which includes members L.G. Patil, Prashant Hiremath, Shubha R. Rao, Prabhuraju Jagalur, Dhakshayini G., and Guru Prasad B.K.

GangolliNews