Nagaland joins in Project ‘Sing for India’

Morung Express News
Kohima | August 16

In its endeavor to promote the message of hope through music amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world over, Classic Hymns, Chennai led by Rev Binu Joshua Thomas has brought together over 200 singers from 24 states of India to perform the prayer hymn “Lead, Kindly Light” for its project called "Sing for India.”

Nagaland state represented by the youth of Sümi Baptist Church, Kohima and mentored by lyricist and musician, Vikiyeto Noel Jimomi is featured in the 13:04 minute rendition on the occasion of the 74th Independence Day. 

The hymn is accompanied by the pipe organ, piano and 6 Indian instruments.

Jimomi told The Morung Express that with the total lockdown in force in Kohima, the selected youth from the church were virtually mentored wherein all audio and video were recorded individually and submitted to the organizers for the final editing.

“The journey was very enriching and an altogether different and new experience because we were totally dependent on technology to get us through to the completion of the project. It is a journey that will be long cherished by all participants”, he expressed.

Stating that this hymn is a prayer song relevant to the nation amid the encircling gloom and offers up a prayer to God to lead us on, he revealed how he was contacted by Rev Binu through a mutual friend and further entrusted to be the Nagaland chapter of the virtual choir collaboration, singing in Sümi-Naga dialect.

The Lord has been gracious in guiding us these two months in completing the "Sing for India" project, he put across while also noting that the selected hymn- "Lead Kindly Light" is a favourite hymn of Mahatma Gandhi.