New Delhi:
Indian sufi singers Zila Khan and Kailash Kher would come together to render popular and traditional sufi songs at the closing ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games here on October 14.
The Hindustani classical vocalist Zila Khan will sing two solos followed by two duets with sufi sensation Kailash Kher during the event at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.
Both the singers would also be participating in a medley of songs by different artists at the grand finale expected to be a big spontaneous event, signifying the world as one big happy family.
"My solo songs are amazingly popular and will have the audiences singing along at the ceremony which I can tell is going to be a beautiful entertaining programme," the singer who has been dubbed the sufi legend of the new millennium said.
Also, Kailash Kher who leads his band Kailasa and has composed the song 'Yaaro Jashn Manao' for the Games will also be entertaining the crowd.
Incidentally, this is the first time that the singers would be performing together.
Declining to reveal more details, Zila said she credits the Indian government as well as the organisers for including her in the mega event.
"I am very honoured that India has chosen me to represent our country in the sufi segment of the closing ceremony. The credit should go to the organisers on how they have chosen to represent India's heritage and culture over any industry," she said.
Daughter of the late Ustad Vilayat Khan's daughter, Zila Khan a member of the Organising ceremonies team and is about to wrap up her concert in Jaipur before she flies to Delhi to rehearse for the Games final ceremony.
"Sufi is very popular across the world, especially with the youngsters in the west.
You won't believe the number of people who come to congratulate me and express their gratitude for my music which they say is drawing more youngsters towards traditional Indian music," said Zila.
The singer, who does a minimum of two to four concerts in America and Europe every year, said sufiana singing is a hit with international audiences.
Kher also has just completed a successful tour in the US, where sufi music has a following.