Music album Lool written by SSP, Manoj Sheeri, was released here on Thursday.
The function was presided over by poet and author, Prof. Shafi Shauq . Senior Superintendent Srinagar, Dr Haseeb Mughal, was Special Guest. Secretary cultural academy Munir-ul-Islam was also present on the occasion while Muhammad Amin Bhat was stage secretary.
The function started with concerts by Ajaz Sahir and Shazia Bashir which enthralled the audience. Manoj Kumar Pandita alias Manoj Sheeri is SSP, in J&K Police and is presently posted at Police Headquarters. He is looking after welfare and media wing of J&K Police.
Prof Shauq complimented Sheeri for his wonderful collection. The album “Lool” was released in form of a CD comprising six Kashmiri songs sung by Shazia Bashir and Ajaz Sahir. “On this occasion I compliment Manoj Sheeri for wonderful job. Despite being in department that busy round the clock, he has come up with wonderful work.”
SSP Srinagar, Dr Haseeb Mughal, congratulated Manoj Sheeri. “There is urgent need to keep Kashmiri language alive. We must buy a magazine, newspaper and other related material of Kashmiri language. We must also teach our children Kashmiri language as it is our mother tongue,” Dr Haseeb said.
“If our children are fluent in mother tongue, they can prosper in academics. We must make every effort to keep the mother tongue alive,” he added.
Secretary Cultural Academy, Munir-ul-Islam, said that Manoj Sheeri has been giving his time to writing. “He is a three decade old friend. I used to first read him in one of the newspapers,” he said.
Munir-ul-Islam informed that because of COVID19, the functioning of the academy like other institutions was affected. “We have resumed it from last over a month but COVID19 protocol is being followed in letter and spirit,” he said. He said that they are planning to construct an auditorium with a good space. “Consultations are already underway and I hope in next around two years the new auditorium will be constructed,” he added.
He said that now onwards the department is on way to explore new talent. “We are organising musical concerts with an aim to give vent to new talent,” he said.
Before writing songs for this album, Sheeri has embarked on a mission to spread the message of communal amity. After Khushbuay Kashmir (Fragrance of Kashmir), a compilation of short stories in Urdu, Sheeri has also written a collection of Urdu dramas ‘Bikharay Bichaday’ (Scattered Separation) in Kashmir.
Manoj a resident of Sheeri village in Baramulla district was born to a family of farmers and orchardists. After completing his degree from Government Degree College Baramulla, Manoj went to Jammu to pursue his masters in journalism. Soon after, he joined an English newspaper in Jammu before he cracked Indian Information Services in 1994. Fate however had other things in store for him as he cracked Kashmir Administrative Service exam in 2001 and was allotted police cadre, where he is now working as SSP.
Sheeri’s batchmates including SSP Wasim Qadri, Muhammad Zahid and Ghulam Jeelani Wani were also present in the function.