Posted by: i_nepali January 8, 2008
| Thak you, Raju Lama |
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If this (refer below)is true, then there will be many cases of visa denial for Nepali singers/bands wishing to perform in the US. Thanks to Raju Lama and many others who have abused the system.

Source:www.fursad.com

Rajesh Payal Rai has been in the news recently for more reasons than one. If not for his strong public relation skills, forever smiling face, easy going nature and devil may care attitude, one would think that he should have gone into depression long time ago. Besides other things, weather his awards slipping away from his hands at a recent award ceremony held in the capital or his reconciliation with musician Sambhujeet Baskota after years of not working together, or for his latest trauma at the American Embassy, Rajesh Payal surely has his hands full lately. 
 
According to a survey done by us here at fursad.com a couple of months back, Rajesh Payal topped the list of having traveled abroad to perform the most number of times on foreign soil in history by any Nepali artist. So, it came as a huge surprise when we were informed of the American Embassy in Kathmandu refusing his visa application to the US. He was scheduled to perform at New York along with Indian Idol Prashant Tamang on the 5th of January 2008. Apparently, a rather ‘heavy’ lady behind the desk had askedif he knew about the whereabouts of Raju Lama of Mongolian Heart, to which he answered that he did not. The lady then pulled out a poster from the drawer and showed it to Rajesh Payal. The promotional poster was of the event that he was scheduled to perform in which also included his photograph along with Prashant Tamang and Raju Lama. Poor Soul! He was not even aware of Raju Lama performing at the event because he had not been informed by the organizers about it. There you have it. He was asked to leave. In spite of having performed more than three dozen times abroad, surprisingly, Rajesh Payal has never toured the US. If a well known artist like Rajesh Payal is denied a visa to perform in the States, I doubt any artist worth his/her salt stand a fair chance of doing so in the future. Dear friends, be prepared for rejection.
 
In another related news, Rajesh Payal has begun once again working with Sambhujeet Baskota after a long gap of ten years. The last time he sang to Mr. Baskota’s music was for the film ‘Basanti’. Things turned sour between the two shortly after and the two heavyweights had not collaborated ever since. Now that they have joined hands, we wish them all our best!



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