Prashant Tamang

Biography:

Prashant Tamang is an Indian singer and film actor based in Kathmandu. Born on January 4, 1983, in Darjeeling, West Bengal, he rose to fame after winning Indian Idol Season 3 in 2007. His victory made him a celebrated figure, particularly among the Nepalese community in India and abroad.

Prashant was born to Rupa Tamang and Madan Tamang and studied at St. Robert’s School. After the tragic loss of his father in an accident, he left school and joined the Kolkata Police as a constable, taking his father’s place. While serving in the police force, he became a part of the Kolkata Police Orchestra, where his singing talent was recognized and encouraged. His family includes his mother, grandmother, and sister Archana. On February 16, 2011, he married Geeta Thapa, a flight attendant.

His journey in Indian Idol began when his friends and seniors in the police department, particularly Zulfiqar Hasan, the Special Additional Commissioner of Police, encouraged him to audition. He was selected in the Kolkata auditions and steadily progressed through the competition. Throughout the show, he never landed in the bottom three or four during the gala rounds. In the grand finale, he defeated Amit Paul with a massive margin, receiving approximately 70 million votes, nearly ten times more than his competitor. As the winner, he received a cash prize of 10 million Indian rupees and a Maruti Suzuki SX4.

His victory sparked a wave of celebration and support across West Bengal, Sikkim, and the Nepalese community worldwide. People from various regions, including Kolkata, Sikkim, Brunei, the UK, Hong Kong, and the UAE, contributed funds to vote for him. Massive campaigns, rallies, and signature drives were organized in his support. In Nepal, Radio Annapurna collected donations, while newspapers like Himalaya Darpan initiated campaigns to garner votes for him. He was affectionately named “Pahad Ko Gaurav,” meaning “Pride of the Hills.”

His triumph also had political ramifications. Bimal Gurung, a former councillor of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, leveraged the mass support for Prashant to strengthen his political campaign. He successfully led a movement that ultimately removed Subhash Ghisingh from power and established the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, reviving the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

However, his win was not without controversy. A radio jockey from Red FM, Jonathan Brady, also known as Nitin, made an insensitive remark suggesting that shopkeepers would have to arrange their own security since Gorkhas had turned to singing. This comment led to widespread protests, particularly in Darjeeling and Siliguri, where clashes erupted. The Government of India issued a show-cause notice to Red FM, and the station later issued an apology for the remark.

Following his Indian Idol success, Prashant released his debut album, Dhanyavad, featuring songs in Nepali and Hindi under Sony BMG. He went on to perform concerts worldwide, including in the United States. He also contributed his voice to Nepali films, such as Himmat 2.

In 2009, he transitioned into acting in Nepali cinema. His debut film, Gorkha Paltan, released in 2010, was a commercial success. He later starred in Angalo Yo Maya Ko in 2011, followed by Kina Maya Ma the same year. In 2014, he appeared in Nishani, a film based on the bravery of Gorkhas during the Kargil War.

Prashant Tamang remains a significant figure in the entertainment industry, known for his contributions to music and cinema, as well as his cultural impact on the Nepalese and Indian communities.