Prashant Tamang, a constable in the West Bengal Police, was on Sunday crowned Indian Idol after vanquishing his rival Amit Paul in a grand finale of the over-two month long talent hunt.

Prashant Tamang, 24, who hails from Darjeeling, has undergone a journey from being a member in the police band in Kolkata to becoming the heart throb of millions of TV viewers all over the country.

The grand finale was an all North-East affair as Tamang took on 24-year-old Paul, who hails from Shillong.

The results of the talent hunt were announced at a gala in New Delhi with the final witnessing a whopping seven crore people sending in their votes.

Prashant Tamang stole the centrestage with his rendition of the song 'Yeh Kali Kali Ankhen' from the Hindi film 'Baazigar'.

As Bollywood actor John Abraham announced Tamang the winner, the constable thanked his mother in a voice choked with emotion.

"I thank my mother, public and Bengal police for granting me the permission for participating in the show," he said.

What they say:

Aditi Paul
Was Indian Idol 3 different or better than the last two seasons? How would you rate the talent this year?
There is no comparison at all. All the singers in the different seasons have different talents. I can�t say there is any difference�the only difference I spotted was in the different sets and locations they used. But I feel no change in the format is better because it sustains the interest of people.

Your favourite moment on Idol this year?
My favourite moment was when Sonu Nigam came on the show. He gave a very balanced judgement and had something to say about each performer. I liked that.

Who do you think will be the Indian Idol this year and why?
If you go by the total package, it will have to be Amit Paul. He sings well, looks good and performs decently. But my personal choice for winner would have been Emon. He is a very good singer

Is there any contestant from the Top 13 you wished had won?
I would definitely root for Emon Chatterjee.

---

Prajakta
Was Indian Idol 3 different or better than the last two seasons? How would you rate the talent this year?
What was different about this year was that there were people from so many different places. There were contestants from the extreme east and extreme west, even from Dubai and the UK.
As far as the talent on this year�s show, I would give it a 7 out of 10.

Your favourite moment on Idol this year?
When Sonu Nigam came as a judge. I was missing him on the show.

Who do you think will be the Indian Idol this year and why?
I think Amit Paul should win. He is a far better singer than Prashant. Though Prashant has a huge fan following. I feel people connect with him more.

Is there any contestant from the Top 13 you wished had won?
Yes, I really liked Deepali and Puja. I wanted both of them to enter the Top 4 and I wanted Deepali to win.

---

Amit Sana
Was Indian Idol 3 different or better than the last two seasons? How would you rate the talent this year? The packaging of the show this year was much better. But talent wise, I think, the contestants of Season 2 were better. There were a few very good singers in the latest season, but overall it lacked something.

Your favourite moment on Idol this year?
Nothing that really stands out. But whenever I watched an episode of the show, Amit Paul always struck me as a good singer.

Who do you think will be the Indian Idol this year and why?
Amit is a stronger singer than Prashant. It is commendable that Prashant came so far from a middle class background and also from a police background. But he needs to work much more to become a good singer.

Is there any contestant from the Top 13 you wished had won?
I think I would like to have seen Emon win. He is very good. And I don�t think he is a clone of Sonu Nigam. From what I heard, I feel Rahul Vaidya could be said to imitate Sonu. But not Emon.

How was it like to be in the final Top 2? When you think back what do you feel?
It was a very stressful time, but it was also a time that I enjoyed a lot. Both Abhijeet and I were given so much importance. Wherever I went I saw love and adulation in the eyes of the people. I was never tense. Or rather, I was only tense on the day the results were announced. Those days and those memories are something that I will always cherish. It helped me become what I am today - a singer who is doing something good with his life. I am currently wrapping up my new album. It should be out in another two months.

---

Emon
Your favourite moment on Idol this year?
It was definitely when Sonu Nigam came on the show. He is my idol.

Who do you think will be the Indian Idol this year and why?
I don�t know. I really don�t know. I think both of them are good singers and both of them have a good chance to win the title.

Is there any contestant from the Top 13 you wished had won?
I would go with Deepali. She is a fantastic singer.

What are you doing nowadays?
I am in Delhi right now. I will be performing on September 23 in the Grand Finale. So I am busy rehearsing for that.