Legendary singer, lyricist and music composer Narendra Singh Negi bestowed with outstanding honour in House of Lords, British Parliament
It is a matter of immense privilege and proud for Uttarakhand that its legendary folk singer , lyricist and poet in regional Garhwali language Narendra Singh Negi popularly known as the Gem of Garhwal Uttarakhand ” GARH RATNA” who has to his credited singing more than ten thousand regional songs and POETRIES including giving melodious and mesmerising songs n lyrics to several regional movies, also the recipient of prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy award at the hands of president of India Draupadi Murmu last year, has been felicitated and honoured in the House of Lords, British Parliament WITH SPECIAL HONOUR the other day. The award was presented on account of Negi’s Distinguished Leadership in Indian Folk Singing, a unique presentation indeed.
Mr. Narendra Singh Negi and his wife Usha Negi who herself is a singer n lyricist assisting her husband during his thick n thin and always accompanying her iconic husband as his shadow Usha Negi were invited to United Kingdom few days ago where apart from acknowledging this prestigious honour in house of Lords, British Parliament he also held cultural events in some localities of United Kingdom, especially for the Uttarakhand community who are not only his ardent fans but also love and adore his regional Garhwali songs to the hilt.
Narendra Singh Negi , an iconic Garhwali language leading singer, lyricist and eminent musician as well has been instrumental in writing and singing a song including composing its music titled NAUCHAMI NARENA highlighting the ironical role of the then Uttarakhand CM Narain Dutt Tiwari in distributing” red beacons”, to unaccounted number of political persons including a twenty year old woman with an intent to oblige them making them state ministers at the expense of public exchequer making mockery of the privilege given to a CM.
This song was so popular that the reputed magazine like “India today” apart from the vernacular and national media had then published a special story on the record sale of his CDs of “NAUCHAMI NARENA” globally.
Not only the outstanding sale of the CDs of Negi’s song but it also resulted in Narayan Dutt Tiwari’s Congress government losing the election in Uttarakhand in the year 2007 at the hands of BJP.
Narendra Singh Negi is so widely popular in Uttarakhand and at the pan India level as well in Uttarakhand dominated localities / suburbs in metropolises and abroad that when he was admitted in a hospital at Dehradun few years ago after he suffered from Cardiac arrest but successfully operated after the intervention of the then CM Trivendra Singh Rawat – Negi’s followers around the world beat even the PMs record to search in google about Negi’s health.
There had always been demand from various sources, social, political and intellectual in Uttarakhand and outside the Himalayan state to bestow Padam Shri or Padmavibhushan to Narendra Singh Negi , but despite the unanimous wish of the state electorates Negi has been devoid of this prestigious honour till yet. However his junior and popular singer Pritam Bhartwan has received the Padmashri few years ago. Narendra Singh Negi has been singing for the last five decades and his contribution to Uttarakhand, Garhwal’s folk songs, music, lyrics, poetry, literature and culture including heritage is unparalleled.
One of the most prominent folk singers and composer Garh Ratna Narendra Singh Negi sought compulsory retirement from government service as Information Officer in Garhwal Uttarakhand having a tiff with the then CM Narayan Dutt Tiwari reveal sources. He is 74 years old and originally hails from Pauri village annexed with Pauri township earlier Commissionery when Uttarakhand was in Uttarpradesh . Kudos.
