Dubai: An Indian tailor in Dubai was moved to tears after winning Dh35,000 and other prizes after he was crowned the Singer of the Season in the hugely popular Western Union Camp ka Champ (Champ of the Camp) contest on Thursday night.
Shabbir Khan, 48, said he would spend the money in the future so his daughter, now aged 16, can get married one day. Khan, who is a singing sensation among friends and colleagues, drew loud cheers from fans during his solo performance at Season 10 of the contest, held at Jiwin Accommodations in Muhaisnah 2, Dubai.
The event sees single and team contests between staff, mostly low-income South Asian migrant workers, from labour accommodations of companies. It is sometimes informally dubbed the “Dubai Idol” for its promotion of signing talent, loosely along the lines of the American Idol TV show.
Speaking on the contest sidelines after his win, Khan said he was overjoyed. “I haven’t called my family back home yet, as it’s very late in the night there. But I know they had me in their hearts the whole time,” Khan added, overwhelmed by emotion.
“I’ll call them first thing in the [Friday] morning. They’re going to be happy.”
Besides his daughter, Khan, from India’s Rajasthan state, has a wife and sons aged 19 and 13. Employed by Al Gurg company in Dubai, he works as a tailor and embroiderer.
“I’ve been passionate about singing ever since I can remember. Even if you’re not naturally good at it, if you’re passionate and practise, you can make it to an acclaimed position one day, as I made it here tonight,” he said.
Khan also received a return flight ticket from Air Arabia and an electronics gift from Geepas as part of his prize. There were winners in the team contest and English Unplugged categories as well. The songs were mainly from Bollywood films and other popular tracks in Hindi and Urdu as most of the contestants and audience members speak those languages.
On Thursday night, the open area in the Jiwin Accommodations was packed with hundreds of workers singing along, sometimes dancing, and cheering on the performances. Some of them also won a variety of raffle prizes.
“I had a great time. This is a rare treat for us. It’s a concert that has come to us,” said Indian worker Mohammad Siddiq.
Season 10 of Western Union Camp ka Champ was presented by UAE telecom operator du.
Over 5,000 residents from 32 participating companies and 150 accommodations auditioned over a two-month span after Ramadan, which ended in July.
Winners in the “WU Antakshari” and the “du Singer of the Season” won gold and cash prizes from Western Union and du, respectively. The rewards are valued at Dh50,000 per segment. Winners also walked away with electronics from Geepas, air tickets from Air Arabia and many more prizes.
Rupa Vinod, managing director of contest organisers Right Track Advertising, said: “We are extremely proud to host Season 10 of this singing contest, which is popular among labour residents. It has been a glorious and exciting journey since 2007.”
Aliya Ahmad, Western Union’s director of marketing for the Middle East and South Asia, said: “Western Union has been associated with Camp ka Champ since its inception. Throughout the years, we celebrated with the unsung heroes who came to the UAE, worked long hours and endured being away from their families in order to build a better life for themselves and their loved ones. The UAE workers did great in this competition. Not only did they enjoy themselves and unwound but also they were great ambassadors of their companies.”
Hala Badri, executive vice-president of brand and communications at du, said: “We are proud to host the 10th season of Western Union Camp Ka Champ. The labour community is a valuable part of our society, and it is one without which the city of Dubai would not function as it does today. This is just one way we hope to offer our support to such an engaging community initiative that will definitely put smiles on the faces of thousands. The partnership with Western Union provides yet another dimension to the way we hope to give back to this integral community within the UAE.”
Box: Winners:
Antakshari (team) category:
Company: Belhasa Projects
Team members:
Ibrar Hussain
Nusrat Khan
Singer of the Season:
Shabbir khan — Al Gurg company
English Unplugged:
Benny from Transguard
