Exclusive: Kailash Kher goes live on his 47th birthday as he felicitates budding singers with his initiative 'Nayii Udaan'

Ace musician and singer Kailash Kher rings his 47th birthday today. Unlike other Bollywood celebrities and singer, Kher doesn't believe in celebrating his special day by cutting a cake or blowing candles. Hailing from a traditional Brahmin family, he makes sure he offers prayers to God.

In fact, he does a noble deed on his birthday every year. Three years ago, Kailash Kher launched Nayii Udaan, a platform for budding musicians and singers to help them make a mark in the Indian music industry. He has empowered 25 musicians and four lead singers since its inception in 2017, and after hosting live events for the last three years, this is the first time Kailash Kher's Nayii Udaan is all set to go live digitally today.  Actor-comedian Raju Shrivastav will host the 60-minute event. The concert will be graced by Sufi singer maestro Kailash Kher himself.

On the occasion of Kailash Kher's birthday, International Business Times, India, exclusively spoke to him as he shared how he plans to celebrate his birthday and how his initiative Nayii Udaan has been felicitating upcoming singers from last three years and more. 

Edited Excerpts from the Interview:

Birthday celebration

I come from a very traditional background and usually don't celebrate my birthday by cutting the cake or blowing candles. As I am born and bought up in a Brahmin family, I usually perform puja path on this day. The only time I celebrated my birthday was when I came to Mumbai and was a judge on the Indian idol show people on the set and everyone else rang my birthday by cutting a cake and that was the first time I blew candles. However, when I became a little recognised I decided to do something meaningful during the lockdown, and that's how I decided to start this programme Nayii Udaan which gives platforms to budding musicians.

 About Nayii Udaan

I reason I started Naayi Uddan was there were a lot of things that I faced at the start of a career. I remember when I began with this initiative people said aap singer hoke dusro ko platform de rahe hai. However, I want these budding singers to get a stage where they could get an opportunity to nourish and nurture their talent. Every year I would do a live performance on my birthday in open ground or auditorium. This is the first time we can't go out anywhere. Even the door of God closed, therefore we have decided to stream it digitally. Over the last few years, we have been blessed and empowered 25 musicians and four lead singers, some of them who were previously employed as engineers and now are just following their passion. They are doing extremely well and inspiring many talented musicians.

What is the basis of selection?

There is an online registration that happens. The song that the participants have to sing should be original, should have an Indianness attached to it. The participants are screened and filtered on the basis of their performance.

Upcoming projects

My new album Kailsa will be coming soon.