New Delhi:
Four-year-old Esther Hnamte from Mizoram has caught the attention of the Chief Minister and lakhs of people with her rendition of the national song, Vande Mataram. The little girl’s YouTube channel has over 61,000 subscribers and the video uploaded on October 25 has so far got 2.29 lakh views.
“Dear brothers and sisters, be proud that you are an Indian. It is a land of love, care and affection. So lovely the variety in languages, cultures, lifestyle… Let us stand together to be good sons and daughters for our motherland in spite of the diversities,” the video description says.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga tweeted the video, praising Ms Hnamte for her version of the national song. “Mesmerizing Esther Hnamte, a 4-year-old kid from Lunglei, Mizoram singing “Maa Tujhe Salaam, Vande Mataram,” Zoramthanga tweeted.
Mesmerizing Esther Hnamte, a 4-years-old kid from Lunglei, Mizoram singing
Maa Tujhe Salaam; Vande Mataram https://t.co/at40H8j3zvpic.twitter.com/O1Nq2LxACK— Zoramthanga (@ZoramthangaCM) October 30, 2020
Ms Hnamte’s video has several professional shots taken in different locations, from the mountains to the hill towns in the northeast state. There are also drone shots of picturesque fields and forest roads.
In a white shirt and black skirt, with a ribbon pinned to the collar, the four-year-old carries the music video with grace. Her version has been improvised with electric guitars and soft rock elements, and it has received a positive response from listeners as well as viewers of the video.
Other videos in Ms Hnamte’s YouTube channel shows her practising the song at her home, complete with a crew seen trying out instruments.
Musician AR Rahman had sung his blockbuster “Vande Mataram” in a more contemporary style in his studio album of the same name in 1997, which received a good response at that time, with the chorus “Maa Tujhe Salaam” becoming instantly recognisable among listeners.