Indo-Asian News Service
London, November 29

A bhangra troupe from Birmingham squealed 'balle balle' after it was crowned world champions in a
world bhangra dancing competition in Chicago.

The Nachda Sansaar bhangra team scooped the world bhangra dancing title, and manager
Gucharan Mall, who launched the group 14 years ago, said: "I'm over the moon and so proud of my
boys.

"They are very dedicated and deserve this world title so much. We had been working towards this
title for the past three months. Such a lot of effort has gone into it."

The group performed in front of the Queen during her Golden Jubilee visit to Birmingham's
Symphony Hall last summer and took part in the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games
in Manchester.

They also danced at the Eurovision Song Contest and the G8 Summit hosted by Birmingham in
1998 and have made countless TV appearances.

Seven dancers took part in the Chicago final, along with two dhol (drum) players, a flute player and a
chimta (tambourine) player.

The front room of Mall's home is packed with trophies and he has platinum and gold discs for his
production of bhangra music.

He has also just been appointed artistic director of the Punjabi Music Dance Academy UK, which will
partner Indian universities in music.