Usha Uthup, special guest at Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs as Mahaguru in Alka Yagnik’s absence, was so enthralled by participant Nitin Kumar that she decided to give him a special prize.
Nitin, who has carved a niche in the show as a devotional singer, proved that he is a versatile singer and can perform any song with élan post his stupendous performance on the song Chaiya Chaiya from the movie Dil Se.
Usha Ji was so happy with Nitin’s performance that she presented him with a tambourine, her most prized musical instrument which she has been playing since childhood.
Said Usha Ji: “This tambourine (khanjani) is very close to my heart and I have been using it since the past 42 years. I generally would never have parted with my tambourine but Nitin sang so well that I just had to give it to him and I know he will treasure it as much as I have.”
Usha Ji, being her spontaneous vivacious self, asked the band to keep playing while she taught Nitin how to play the tambourine and sang along with Nitin.
He struggled at first but soon picked it up and showed signs of mastering the instrument.
Nitin said, “It’s a great honor for me to be appreciated by none other than Usha Ji … the tambourine is the perfect accoutrement for my jagrata sessions. It will always be with me.”