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Salim Merchant's Surprise Gift to Sonu Nigam Amid Times Square Diwali Celebration

Salim Merchant made Diwali extra special for Sonu Nigam with a thoughtful gift during their Times Square celebration. The music composer shared the joyful moment on Instagram, showcasing their song on the iconic New York billboards. This heartwarming gesture highlighted their collaboration for the Bhoomi 2025 music project. The global celebration demonstrated how Indian music continues to reach international audiences through innovative initiatives.

Key Points: Salim Merchant Gifts Sonu Nigam at Times Square Diwali Event

  • Salim Merchant celebrated Diwali at Times Square with Sonu Nigam
  • Featured their song "Her Jogiya" on Times Square big screens
  • Bhoomi 2025 project spans multiple Indian languages and genres
  • Musical initiative includes artists from Shreya Ghoshal to Shankar Mahadevan
2 min read

Salim Merchant surprises Sonu Nigam with a special Diwali gift at Times Square

Music composer Salim Merchant surprises Sonu Nigam with special Diwali gift at New York's Times Square while promoting their global music project Bhoomi 2025.

"Feeling so happy to take Indian music to the world! - Salim Merchant"

Mumbai, Oct 19

Music composer Salim Merchant celebrated Diwali in a grand style at New York’s Times Square, sharing a special moment with Sonu Nigam.

As part of the festivities, Salim presented Sonu Nigam with a thoughtful Diwali gift, marking a joyous occasion while highlighting the global reach of Indian music with the upcoming project Bhoomi 2025. On Sunday, Salim took to his Instagram and shared a video of himself standing in front of Times Square, showcasing their song on the big screen. For the caption, he wrote, “Celebrating Diwali at Times Square and here’s a Diwali gift for @sonunigamofficial @paradox.here & @shraddhapandit Feeling so happy to take Indian music to the world! Bhoomi 2025.”

In the video, Merchant could be heard saying, “Her Jogiya on Times Square. Wow. Thank you Sonu Nigam, Paradox and Shraddha Pandit. It feels awesome really.” Music composer-producer duo Salim and Sulaiman Merchant have launched the latest edition of their acclaimed annual musical initiative, “Bhoomi.”

Originally introduced in 1999 with a futuristic vibe, the project was revived in 2020. For Bhoomi 2025, the brothers curated an impressive roster of songs spanning diverse genres and languages. The lineup included a Gujarati Krishna pop track with Parthiv Gohil, a classical-pop fusion with Shankar Mahadevan, and a romantic ballad featuring Shaan. High-energy dance numbers were performed by Sonu Nigam and Paradox, while soulful melodies were brought alive by Papon and Shreya Ghoshal.

The edition also featured a Kashmiri composition with Noor Mohammad, a Punjabi anthem with OAFF, Burrah, Krish Mondal, and Sudan, an Uttarakhandi track with Pawandeep Rajan and Hansika Pareek.

Speaking about the project, Sulaiman had earlier said in a statement, “We have always tried to do different things, to explore genres and discover new artists. When we started off, it was just folk and devotional music; then we moved into pop. We've tried hip hop, we've tried EDM, and now it's a great mix of it all. Next year, we would love to do Malayalam, Tamil again, Odissi music, and go to the far east in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.”

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Bhoomi project is amazing - they're showcasing the diversity of Indian music from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The inclusion of regional artists is what makes it special. Can't wait for Bhoomi 2025!
D
David E
As someone living abroad, seeing Indian culture represented at Times Square during Diwali warms my heart. This is exactly the kind of global recognition our music deserves.
A
Ananya R
While I appreciate the global exposure, I wish more focus was given to promoting these projects within India first. Our own audiences should get to experience such grand celebrations.
S
Sarah B
The diversity in Bhoomi 2025 is incredible! From Gujarati Krishna pop to Kashmiri compositions - this is what makes Indian music so rich. More power to the Merchant brothers!
V
Vikram M
Diwali at Times Square with our music stars - what a perfect combination! 🪔 This is soft power at its best. Hope this inspires more Indian artists to go global.

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