Indian Idol 12: Pawandeep Rajan declared as winner, says 'the feeling is still sinking in'

Pawandeep Rajan was declared as the winner of Indian Idol 12 on Sunday, 15 August. He was competing for the top prize along with five other finalists- Arunita Kanjilal, Mohd Danish, Nihal Tauro, Sayli Kamble, and Shanmukhapriya. Judges Anu Malik, Sonu Kakkar, and Himesh Reshammiya presented Rajan with the coveted trophy. He also won a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh and a car, reports The Indian Express. Kanjilal and Kamble were announced as the first and second runners-up, winning Rs 5 lakh each. Mohd Danish and Nihal Tauro won Rs 3 lakh each as third and fourth runners-up. Rajan who hails from Uttarakhand’s Champawat district, expressed his happiness on becoming the winner. “I still feel like I’m dreaming," he said in an interview, adding that the feeling was “still sinking in”. The singer added that he wished he could share the trophy with the other finalists. “It’s a very mixed feeling for me right now," adding that they would collaborate together whenever a chance arises. Hosting a 12 hour long “greatest grand finale” on 15 August, Indian Idol 12 packed a slew of powerful performances.

Various guests joined in the celebrations. Singers Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Javed Ali, and Amit Mishra were among some of the singing stars who graced the show with their presence. Actors Siddharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani also made an appearance to promote their recent release Shershaah. WWE champion Khali and Bade Acche Lagte Hain 2 lead pair Nakuul Mehta and Disha Parmar were also present in the show. The show was co-hosted by Aditya Narayan and Jay Bhanushali. Rajan had earlier appeared on Voice of India in 2015, winning that competition as well. He has performed in over 1,000 live shows in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and South Africa. While he was on Indian Idol 12, he and co-contestant Kanjiwal were roped in by Himesh Reshammiya in a music video titled ‘Teri Umeed’.