By Subhash K Jha

In one of the most closely contested jugalbandis in the hoary history of music contests on Indian television, the affable Sardarji Ishmeet Singh defeated the other finalist Harshit Saxena on Star's Voice Of India.

The victory left many surprised since Harshit apparently had a larger fan base among the girls.

Said the exhausted producer-director of the show Gajendra Singh, "We were surprised and shocked when one of our favourite contestants Abhas was eliminaited earlier. However Ishmeet's victory is a victory for all of us. He has the range that Mohd Rafi saab would've praised."

Judge Alka Yagnik lamented the lack of female contestants in the top echelons of the music contests.

Ishmeet, who comes from a humble background in Punjab, was in tears on winning what could be his passport to Bollywood playback singing. He was given the award by the Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar.