Amit Shah praises Mizoram child singing sensation Esther Hnamte, gifts guitar to her

Aizawl: Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised Mizoram's child singing sensation Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte, popularly known as Esther Hnamte, and gifted a guitar to the seven-year-old prodigy who enthralled the audience with the rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’.

Shah attended a function marking the relocation of the Assam rifles’ base from Aizawl to a designated camp at Zokhawsang on the eastern outskirts of the state capital, in which Hnamte sang “Vande Mataram" composed by AR Rahman on Saturday.

"Love for Bharat unites us all. Deeply moved to listen to Mizoram's wonder kid Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte, singing Vande Mataram in Aizawl. The seven-year-old's love for Bharat Mata poured out into her song, making listening to her a mesmerizing experience. Gifted her a guitar and blessed her for a brilliant future ahead," Shah wrote in a post on X.

Shah invited Hnamte at Raj Bhavan and gifted her the musical instrument.

Hnamte's parents expressed happiness and thanked the Union Home Minister for the gift.

"We were about to move to Tlabung in the state's southern part after the function on Saturday. The Home Minister invited us to the Raj Bhavan. We are very happy and delighted for the gift, which is her most needed instrument," Hnamte's mother R Lalawmpuii told PTI.

Born on June 9, 2016, Hnamte, who hails from south Mizoram's Lunglei town, began singing at the age of 3 years in churches and elsewhere.

She gained widespread recognition when her video of singing AR Rahman's "Vande Mataram" shared by former chief minister Zoramthanga and later by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2020 went viral.

In August 2021, Hnamte released a music video of the national anthem on YouTube featuring personnel of the Assam Rifles, which sponsored the video.

The video received 3 million views within a week, which has now risen to 47 million.

In December last year, Hnamte sang "Vande Mataram" at the inaugural function of Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav in the presence of Modi, who previously praised the child prodigy for her mesmerising performance.

Hnamte gifted the PM a Northeast mascot doll, "Poorvi", on the occasion.

The youngest of three siblings, Hnamte has won awards, including special appreciation from former state governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, and the "Young Achievers Award," presented by Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited.

She has also been honoured by the country's largest dairy firm in an advertisement as the Amul Girl in 2021.

A documentary of her life "A Star is Born" won the Best Documentary Award (Silver) at the Northeast Film Festival in 2023.