“Being in the armed forces and doing my bit for the service of my nation was always something I had dreamt of ever since I was a child. Simultaneously, I pursued my passion for singing while I was studying. I used to rehearse alone daily and eventually started participating in various cultural programs during my stint at different borders. My peers and superiors always pushed me to continue my singing hobby, which boosted my confidence to come out and express myself.

I gave my Staff Selection Commission Exam at 18, intending to get into CRPF. After a long wait of almost a year, I was informed that I had been selected for the Border Security Force (BSF) and readily accepted it. I received comprehensive training for a year to perform duties on the border and in counterinsurgency operations. It was the most enriching and life-changing experience for me in life. My first posting as a BSF Jawan was at the West Bengal border. After serving there for one year, I got transferred to Chattisgarh Border, where I served for three years performing various anti-naxal operations. Apart from guard counterinsurgency, we also conduct our duties in disaster management and domestic peacekeeping during emergencies.

After serving at Chattisgarh, I was posted at the Indo-Pak Border in Rajasthan, where I served for a few years. Very recently, I got posted on the J&K border. While performing my border duty, I continued singing and recording a few songs in my free time. My colleagues and senior officers in the BSF encouraged my passion, and I used to sing during casual get to gathers and special occasions despite having no network in the borders.

I learned about the Telugu Indian Idol last year through a friend but wasn’t able to apply for the auditions due to work commitments. However, I did not want to lose an opportunity to participate in its second season, so I applied for leave and gave the auditions in Hyderabad. During my audition, I performed in front of the judges, S.S Thaman, singer Karthik, and Geetha Madhuri.

It was a unique thing in the history of Telugu reality shows that a BSF Soldier participating in a singing competition. The judges of Indian Idol 2 were impressed with my performance during my audition round. I got an opportunity to contest for the further rounds. But I politely declined their offer, explaining that I had no pending leaves and had to return to my duty at the border to serve the nation. The judges expressed how honoured they felt to witness someone from the armed forces come and sing on the Telugu Indian Idol stage.

S.S. Thaman, the music director, even went a step further and suggested that he could talk to my superiors to arrange for his participation in the show, and that’s how I got the golden ticket to participate in the further rounds. My family and colleagues felt happy about my progress. I even received a customized mic of Singer S.P. Balasubramanyam Garu from his son, singer S.P. Charan, in one of the episodes, as he liked my performances.

I felt elated and proud of that gesture, and I hope to give my best in further rounds too.

Coming from a lower-middle-class family in a small town called Palasa in Andhra Pradesh, my journey was a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. I am incredibly grateful to my family, especially my mother, who supported me throughout my career. I lost my father at the young age of 3, and my mother was a pillar of our family and took care of our three siblings by working hard for our progress in life. I am honoured by the unwavering support from my colleagues, who permitted me to continue in the Indian Idol show. I am also grateful to the audience for their love and encouragement towards my singing, and I look forward to giving my best in the future too.”

– Featuring Mr. Chakrapani Nagiri, BSF Soldier