ABP Ideas of India | Music Has No Borders, It's The Unifier: Papon

In conversation with ABP News anchor Romana Isar Khan, who chaired the session titled “Songs from the North-East: From Margins to Mainstream", the talented singer traced his journey to stardom.

Singer and composer Papon at a special session during ABP Network’s Ideas of India Summit.

ABP Ideas of India: “Music transcends Lakeerein (or borders),” said singer and composer Papon at a special session during ABP Network’s ‘Wild Stone presents Ideas of India Summit’ in Mumbai on Saturday.

In conversation with ABP News anchor Romana Isar Khan, who chaired the session titled “Songs from the North-East: From Margins to Mainstream", the talented singer traced his journey to stardom.

“My father used to tell me that language, food, way of life changes every hundred or five hundred kilometers where we create borders or lakeerein. But culture blends in. It doesn’t change with borders. Music and art are perhaps the only things which can rise above borders,” he said on the concluding day of the conclave.

Throwing light on his musical career, Papon said: “I started my musical career quite late, at the age of 30. As my parents were musicians, I grew up in a musical environment and could sing from quite an early age. However, I didn’t want to be a singer and went off to Delhi to study architecture.”

The singer shared his real name is Angarag Mahanta, and 'Papon' was a name that his parents called him at home.

During the free-wheeling interview, Papon treated the crowd to many of his own numbers, and also one of his favourite ghazals.    

From ‘Yeh moh moh ke dhaage’ to ‘Aaj jaane ke zid na karo’ to folk songs, Papon left the audience mesmerised with his mellifluous voice. His concluding shot, perhaps, brought out the essence of the summit best.

When asked what idea would he share with the young generation, he sang, ‘Mile sur mera tumhara’, underlying the message of unity and national integration, and that music is the greatest unifier.