Candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP) Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh filed his nomination today and expressed confidence to win the Sohiong seat in the upcoming election slated to be held on May 10.

Synshar was accompanied by UDP chief Metbah Lyngdoh, party leaders and supporters at the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

The election in Sohiong was adjourned following the demise of his uncle and former home minister and contesting candidate of the UDP, (L) HDR Lyngdoh on February 20.

Synshar will be contesting against NPP’s Samlin Malngiang, who resigned as HSPDP MLA ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls.

Speaking to media persons, Synshar said, “Today is a special day and also an acute moment of nostalgia remembering my uncle late HDR Lyngdoh who was here two months ago filing his nomination papers. He was a popular figure and a legend in this field. His death is a big loss to the family to the party to the state.”

“I am here as his replacement. I am here as a continuation of his work and his legacy,”  he added.

Expressing confidence to win the Sohiong seat, Synshar said, “One important thing the people of Sohiong constituency are praying every day and wants to produce a lawmaker and not just a legislator, a legislator who will speak in the Assembly, a legislator who will voice out the people’s pain and grief. The youth are angry, people are watching. I am being watched as I speak. Serious bills and subjects are being moved in the Assembly like in the last session.”

He continued: “We need intellectuals to speak and debate for better laws, for the betterment, for the future, for the security, for the safety and for the welfare of the people of the constituency and the state and also for ‘jaidbynriew’.”

The UDP candidate refused to comment on the performance of the former MLA Samlin Malngiang and said, “I am looking at myself, I am confident that I will win this election.”

“My uncle had stated that he will repair the damage done by the ex-MLA and I too will be a continuation of his work, I will carry forward his legacy,” he said.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, April 5:  “Dymbur”- a local Khasi folk metal band on Tuesday released its music video titled “U Tirot Sing -Unsung Hero”.

The song speaks about the freedom struggle led by the legendary freedom fighter U Tirot Sing Syiem against the British.

Speaking before the release of the music video, Dymbur co-founder Cornelius Kharsyntiew said that this is an important day for the band because of the support received from KSU to come up with this massive project.

Kharsyntiew said informed that Dymbur was formed in 2012 and in the earlier days, the band was a progressive band and its lyrics are always related to what is happening all around the world but the band switched from progressive metal to Khasi Folk metal in 2019 to take part in various competitions all round the world.

He added after switching from progressive metal to Khasi Folk metal, the band uses both traditional and Western instruments for music and in the earlier stage they received criticism as they were having difficulties in playing local traditional instruments but the band believes that music is universal.

“The idea of coming up with the song U Tirot Sing- Unsung Hero is to highlight the journey of our freedom fighter and we have seen many bands or artists who have contributed their music to U Tirot Sing Syiem but we have not seen any metal band from Meghalaya who have done the same hence we decided to contribute our song to our freedom fighter,” said Kharsyntiew.

Meanwhile, general secretary of the Khasi Student Union (KSU) Donald V Thabah said that the KSU has always lent support to anyone who has the talent to bring glory to the state be it businesses, music of any genre, sports, arts and culture or in any fields.

Thabah said that the KSU took the decision to lend support to Dymbur for this project as Dymbur is the first metal band to make a song about U Tirot Sing Syiem hence the KSU felt the need to lend support to this band as everyone knows Meghalaya does not have specific institute or schemes to help musicians.

“In Meghalaya, people are not aware of the date of birth of U Tirot Sing Syiem but people know about his death which is on July 17 and KSU has thought of releasing this music video on his death anniversary but the band felt it is too late hence we have decided to release today the 4th April as a mark of the awakening day for the Khasi community,” said Thabah.

Thabah said that this song by Dymbur will act as the vehicle to carry forward about the life of U Tirot Sing Syiem who was the king of the Khasi community and led a rebellion against the might of the East India Company or the then British empire.