Apart from his voice, it was Ishmeet’s demeanour that endeared him to millions of Indians. In spite of the tough competition he faced in the grand finale of the contest, Ishmeet was confident of his victory. But, both before and after the final, he had only kind words to say about his competitor.

Born in a simple middle class family of Ludhiana, Ishmeet was a second-year B.Com student in Mumbai’s MNC College. His rise to stardom symbolised how Indian society in general and the music industry in particular are fast changing. To begin with, Ishmeet epitomised the “generation next” of India that is willing to take risks for pursuing unconventional careers. Ishmeet’s mother was not too happy when he went for the auditions of the “Star Voice of India” contest. Secondly, Ishmeet’s rise also re-emphasised the abundance of talent in non-metro cities like Ludhiana. Last, but not least, Ishmeet was comfortable with his turban and, unlike many other artists, he did not think it necessary to change his look — along with Rabbi Shergill, he was perhaps the only Sikh artist with national recognition to have kept his Sikh persona.

... contd.