Goa, Jul 18 (India Today) : Kushal Paul, the super-talented 17-year-old from Kolkata, has won Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2016.
He walked away with the coveted trophy at the show's grand finale that was telecast this evening, and which was held in Goa.
The top 5 finalists--Kushal Paul, Sachin Kumar, Jugpreet Bajwa, Rupali Jagga and Jyotica Tangri--brilliantly showcased their singing skills one last time at a massive star-studded finale that had performances from Kailash Kher, Armaan Malik, Sukhwinder Singh, and Benny Dayal, who performed with the Top 5 finalists in Goa. The 5 contestants got a medal, and the winner, Kushal, walked away with the coveted trophy and a brand new Elite i20 - Hyundai.
At No. 5 was Jyotika, while the other girl in the fray, Rupali got enough votes to come in at No. 4. Jugpreet, the visually impaired singer from Canada finished at No. 3. Sachin was the first runner-up. The gap between the winner and first runner-up was 4.5 lakh votes.
Since Kushal is from Pritam's team, the proud mentor said, "This is a moment of great pride for me as I am a huge fan of his vocal talent and knew that he was winner worthy right from the auditions phase... He is not just a gifted singer but an exceptional performer with a magnetic stage presence. It's not easy to take your eyes off Kushal when he sings effortlessly and performs like a rockstar. The best thing about Kushal is that he's like a sponge--constantly absorbing and imbibing new things, adding to his versatility. He has a long way to go and a great career ahead of him in singing. Here's wishing him and all our other contestants the best in their future endeavours!"
Commenting on his win, an ecstatic Kushal said, "I still can't believe I am holding the trophy in my hand--that was the goal each one of us have worked day and night for. Never in my wildest dream I thought of such big win. This, truly, is the best moment of my life. Singing is my life and passion and winning the show is a dream come true. The knowledge and exposure I've gained with my stint in the show is priceless. Being in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa was the best gift of my life and through this stage, I fulfilled my dream of becoming a singer. The show has given me a chance to meet and perform in front of legendary singers like Asha Tai, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Kumar Sanu and I am really thankful to Zee TV for giving me this golden opportunity. I am also grateful to the audiences for having voted for me and showering me with so much love. But this journey wouldn't have been the same without the guidance, support and love of my mentor- Pritam Da. I want to dedicate this victory to my mentor and my family."