Niharika Kummari has been recognized as Most Prominent Female Emcee of the Year - 2023, Hyderabad by Business Mint
The stage was set. Tablecloths were spread. Twinkling fairy lights glimmered in every nook and corner. Delicious food sent wafting aromas flying through the evening air. It was a ‘Medical College doctors’ alumni reunion. Breaking the ice with a few funny quips and jokes to make the 65+ year old audience feel at ease, Niharika asked everyone to tell some stories from their college days. One doctor recalled the mischief he and his classmates did in college, “When the professor turned around to write on the black board, one of us used to start singing Yesudas’ Julie I love you, and the whole classroom hummed along, leaving the professor no way to guess who sang first”. In an attempt to transport these teary-eyed, warm-hearted old classmates back to their sepia-toned college days, Emcee Niharika Kummari spontaneously decided to recreate that mischievous moment again. She announced,“Let us all sing the song together once again and relive those good old days”. And so, they sang, “Bhool gaya sab kuch. Yaad Nahi Abb Kuchh. Ek Yahi Bat Na Bhulieee. Julieeeee… I Loveeee youuu”.
It was in the year 2015 when Niharika, a bachelor’s student of Mechanical Engineering, first got the opportunity to host an event–the annual day celebrations at her college. She got through a fairly easy audition to land the gig of co-host. Although she never hosted previously, she was always eager to take on new challenges and have new experiences. And this was the latest one on her list! Little did she know that that evening would change her life. From the moment she held the microphone and stood on the stage under blinding lights, she knew this was her calling.
Getting established as a professional emcee was not an easy journey. With no knowledge about the industry and no one to guide, Niharika did not know where to start. In the beginning of her emceeing career, she hosted mall events, small informal family gatherings, and in-house corporate events at the firm she worked. Eventually, she started building her network with members of the event industry. Finding mentors in senior emcees, she trained herself in multiple arenas of event management, which became a crucial foundation to her future journey. She underwent training to finesse her vocal skills in multiple languages. She became one of very few emcees in Hyderabad who could host in three languages–English, Hindi and Telugu. Through experience, she became adept at handling unruly crowds skilfully. She also mastered crisis management, which made her a sought-after talent by event managers who were aware of the need for someone who could pull the rabbit out of the hat when chaos ensued.
In a short span of five years, emcee Niharika Kummari became a well-known name for corporate, social, sports, music, protocol events and award functions. Her moment of crowning glory arrived when she got the opportunity to host an event for the government of Andhra Pradesh attended by the state’s chief minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
With an undying passion for meeting new people and creating unforgettable memories through her job, she continues to challenge herself. Niharika is currently looking to expand her clientele beyond the city of Hyderabad.
After the doctor’s reunion event, when the old classmates were parting ways once again and the stage was being cleared, when the lights were turned off and the chairs gathered in a corner, some of the doctors came up to Niharika to invite her to their home for a cup of chai, and to thank her for recreating the indelible precious moments from their youth. One doctor, overflowing with emotion said, “We lost more than 30 of our classmates over the last few years. We don’t know how many of us will be able to attend the next reunion. But we will never forget this evening. Thank you for making us 60 year olds feel like 16 year olds again. We will always be grateful for the beautiful memories you helped us create during this event”. With those kind words reverberating in her heart, she left the venue with a sense of joy and accomplishment. The happiness that she felt in the midst of those old classmates inspires her and gives her a reason to put on her high heels, grab the microphone and walk confidently onto the stages that await her.