Never thought I would win India’s Got Talent, says Suleiman

Suleiman, the young flautist from Amritsar, was crowned winner of this season of India’s Got Talent last week. Along with the coveted trophy, the 13-year-old walked away with a cash prize of Rs 50 lakhs as well as a car. Sharing his excitement on the big win, Suleiman said, “I am very happy. To be honest I am still pinching myself to believe I indeed won; I never thought I would. All this looks like a dream and the feeling is gradually sinking in. Wining the show is the biggest achievement for me. It’s made my father’s dream come true and I think it’s because of his blessings that I won. By taking up the show I got a huge platform to showcase my talent in front of the world and also the opportunity to pursue my goals further.”

The teenager says that besides the flute, he plays other instruments such as the tabla, keyboard and the harmonium. He learnt to play the flute at the tender age of three and has been practicingreligiously for two hours every day. “Learning the flute was very tough,” says Suleiman. “I used to get scolded for making silly mistakes, but it made my determination stronger. There were many great performers on the show and it kind of made me nervous. My determination helped me get over it. The more I focused on my talent, the better I performed.” Suleiman was considered to be the judges’ favourite, owing to his simplicity and sincerity. He says, “Getting the golden buzzer early on also encouraged me to believe in myself. At the finale I gave it all I had. I am so glad all the hard work paid off and they crowned me the winner.”