Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar today attended the 'Dastaan-e-Mic': A Landmark Open Mic Event for Youthful Expression organised by Directorate of Youth Services and Sports here at Bahu Plaza. The historic venue echoed with the powerful voices of J&K’s youth at the first-of-its-kind event and a vibrant initiative to foster creative expression and youth engagement.
Speaking on the occasion, the Divisional Commissioner congratulated the Directorate of YSS for organizing this ground-breaking event. He highlighted the need for organizing more such innovative programs to provide an encouraging stage to the youth, who are brimming with untapped talent and perspectives.
He emphasized that initiatives like Dastaan-e-Mic are crucial for building confidence and giving a significant platform to every voice that deserves to be heard. The Divisional Commissioner exhorted the youth to channelize their energies towards sports, literary and performing arts- inspiring the youngsters to lead a happy and healthy life - free from all social evils.
“Such unprecedented youth engagement initiatives shall be organised at the District levels also to promote the local art, culture, heritage and folk traditions among the younger generations,” he stressed. The Director General YSS, in her address, extended a warm welcome to the Chief Guest, participants and the audience, stating, “Dastaan-e-Mic is our commitment to listening.
It is a platform built on the belief that every young person in J&K has a story worth telling and a voice worth hearing.” She appreciated the participants for their courage and creativity in sharing their authentic expressions. The event offered a vibrant stage to young artists for showcasing their passion and talents in Dogri, Urdu and English poetry, Singing, folk music and storytelling.
The Open Mic was a tapestry of diverse artistic expressions, featuring captivating poetry by artists like Akhil Brahmanu, Paras Angral, Anup Kumar, Deepankar Sharma and Saddam Hussain Kafeel, who wove emotions into eloquent couplets.
The stage also resonated with powerful poetry from Saqib Wani, Pankaj Kumar, Sheikh Masood Hamid, Sayed Rizwan, Kriti Malhotra, Simran Bharti, Ahmad Irfan, Iran Shareef and Ajay Singh, each presenting original verses that ranged from personal introspection to social commentary.
The art of storytelling was masterfully presented by Mukhtar Ahmed Madni and Ishwar Kumar, who held the audience spellbound with their narratives. The program further diversified with melodic singing by Salmar Najar and a dynamic fusion of singing and rap by Hai Singh.
The event was further elevated by distinguished guest performers who lent their stature to the cause, including the lyrical prowess of RJ Aryan and Yogeshwar Singh, the literary compositions of poetess and lecturer Sushma Rani, the evocative words of writer Sushant Sabarwal and a unique performance by G One, a singer-rapper who also serves as a policeman symbolizing the multifaceted talents within the community.
As a token of appreciation and encouragement, all participants were honored with trophies and certificates, by the dignitaries. Senior officials, staff from the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports and a spirited audience comprising locals, school children and a large number of youth from across the UT were present.