On song: Sarita

Imphal, Feb. 11: In Nepal, Gazmer is a surname to be reckoned with in the world of music. Far from the Himalayan nation, in the northeastern state of Manipur, young Sarita is holding the Gazmer flag high in the Manipuri music scene.

Born and brought up in Imphal, Sarita, 28, has so far released two solo albums of modern Manipuri songs and done the playback for as many as 15 Manipuri films. Any concert in these parts is considered incomplete without her presence on stage.

Her father Shantbir, a retired member of the Madhya Pradesh Special Armed Force, and mother Kalabati, a teacher in a government school in Imphal, are from Darjeeling but have settled in the Mantripukhri locality of Imphal West.

The second of four sisters, Sarita started taking a keen interest in singing at the age of seven. She drew inspiration from her elder sister, who had made a name in the Manipuri music industry before she was married off.

?The Gazmers are traditionally a music family. My grandfather, who used to serve in the Assam Rifles and was posted at Imphal?s Kangla Fort, is a madal (mridanga) artiste. Music is in our blood and I suppose my interest in music is hereditary,? says Sarita, who has sung for two Nepali films made in Manipur.

The state has a sizeable Nepali population.

After securing a bisharad degree from the Cultural Training Institute of Manipur, Sarita embarked on a professional career in 2000 and has since toted up a portfolio of over 300 modern Manipuri songs. She also teaches music to budding singers.

Sarita recently visited Nepal to record songs for an under-production Nepali film titled Makasari Bhanu. Bollywood titans Udit Narayan and Shaan, too, have lent their voices to the film.

Before the Nepal trip, Sarita made her Mumbai debut in the film Khazaneki Khoz, which was released recently. ?I do not know how the film is doing. A friend called from Dimapur recently after seeing the film there and said it was good. I have yet to see the film or get a copy of the audio cassette,? she says.

Both Hindi films and Hindi songs have been ?banned? in Manipur by the militant Revolutionary People?s Front.

On her plans for the future, Sarita says music is her lifeblood and will remain so. ?I love music. I also love the name Gazmer. If I marry, the name will be lost. To be a professional singer, remaining single is better,? she insists with a chuckle.