Indian wins International Migrant Day contest in Singapore

Karu Gajarathi Raju, 32, sang an old Bollywood song to win the first price of USD 3000 in a contest attended by thousands of foreign workers, 'The Straits Times' reported today.
Raju, who worked as radio jockey in Andhra Pradesh before coming to Singapore, sang a Kishore Kumar song from the film "Aradhana", a hit movie of the 1970s.

The event was held at "The Float@Marina Bay", the central business district venue for big-ticket events such as the National Day Parade and the Youth Olympic Games opening ceremony.

"This is one way for us to show that we appreciate what they (migrants) have done and what they have contributed to Singapore's economy and society," Senior Parliamentary Secretary of Manpower and Health and Guest of Honor Hawazi Daipi said at the event.
"We wanted a venue big enough to hold 12,000 to 15,000 spectators and one that is symbolic to recognise the contribution of the migrant workers," the daily quoted Bernard Menon, Manager of the non-governmental organisation, Migrant Workers Centre.

The event was promoted among foreign workers here through advertisements in Chinese and Tamil dailies and through trade unions, employers and domitories which hub for housing the foreign workers.Singapore's construction and services sectors heavily depend on foreign workers from across Asia.