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Manjit Singh Gill is an India-based Malaysian musician, lawyer, and sports administrator. He is known for his Malaysian-Indian music duo ‘Goldkartz’ that he formed with his younger brother Sukhjit Singh Gill in 2005. In 2023, the duo released the song ‘Sab Gazab’ for which they collaborated with the popular Indian rapper Badshah.
Wiki/Biography
Manjit Singh Gill was born in 1985 (age 38 years; as of 2023) in Malaysia. He completed his secondary education with O Levels from Saint Michael’s Institution in Ipoh, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. He pursued his pre-university programme ‘Cambridge A Level’ at Taylor’s University, Selangor, Malaysia. In 2007, he completed his LLB (Hons.) from the International Islamic University Malaysia. In 2011, he attended the School of Audio Engineering (SAE) Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Later, he received a Diploma in Advance Sports Management from IOC in Switzerland.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 10″
Weight (approx.): 75 kg
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father, Darshan Singh Gill, is an Ipoh-based lawyer. His mother, Suveeder Kaur, is a housewife. He has two brothers, Sukhjit Singh Gill, and Amarjit Singh Gill, and a sister, Ranjit Kaur Gill. All of his siblings are lawyers.
Manjit Singh Gill (second from left) with his siblings and father
Wife & Children
He is married.
Address
He resides at No. 20, Persiaran Greentown 6, Greentown Business Center, 30450 Ipoh, Malaysia.
Career
In 2009, Manjit Singh Gill started practising as an advocate and solicitor with a legal firm named ‘Darshan, Syed, Amarjit & Partners.’ In the same year, he was appointed as a Deputy President of the Malaysia National Sikh Movement ‘GerakSikh’ (a national-level Sikh organisation in Malaysia). The following year, he was appointed as the Secretary General of the Malaysian Extreme Sports Association (MESA). In June 2013, the Asian Extreme Sports Federation (AXF) appointed him as He has also served as the Managing Director of the security services provider ‘Karokam Sdn Bhd,’ and as an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of the United Kingdom.
Goldkartz
In 2005, Manjit Singh Gill along with his younger brother Sukhjit Singh Gill formed a music duo named ‘Goldkartz’. The duo highlights the themes of romance and having fun in their songs. The fusion of traditional Punjabi music with Malaysian cadences in their songs is what makes their singing style unique. The duo released their first album ‘Loaded’ (2008) under the multinational record label EMI. The album was released in Malaysia and achieved modest success with a sale of more than 5,000 CDs in the country.
Cover of the album ‘Loaded’ (2008)
In 2011, they released their second album ’24 Karaatz’ in Malaysia, Britain, India, and some more countries, marking the duo’s international debut. The album was released under the multinational record label Warner Music.
Cover of the album ’24 Karaatz’
In the same year, the duo sibling sang the song ‘Mauja’ for the Bollywood film “Chala Mussaddi Office Office” starring Pankaj Kapur. Their track ‘Desi Patola’ (2015) was released on various music channels including PTC, Tashaan, BritAsia, Jus Punjabi, and Zee TV.
Cover of the album ‘Desi Patola’
The duo ‘Goldkartz’ has collaborated with various famous personalities such as Rishi Rich, Mumzy Stranger, Tigerstyle, and Punjabi by Nature (PBN) from Britain and Shankar Mahadevan, Sonu Nigam, and Badshah from India for various music projects and events. In 2023, the sibling duo collaborated with the popular Indian rapper Badshah for the song ‘Sab Gazab’ featuring Ileana D’Cruz.
Poster of the song ‘Sab Gazab’
Some other famous tracks of the duo include ‘Ha Karde,’ ‘Gidhe Vich Nach,’ ‘Marjava,’ ‘Put Sardara De,’ ‘Naal Nachna,’ and ‘Rock With You.’
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- In 2009, the musician was nominated for an award at Malaysia’s most prestigious music awards show, the Anugerah Industri Musik Malaysia (AIM).
- In his book ‘Sikh Community in Malaysia’ (2009), Darshan Singh Gill listed Manjit Singh Gill on the list of ‘Top 70 Sikh Personalities in Malaysia.’ The book was later presented to the former Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh.
- In 2012, Manjit Singh Gill won an award at the Bite My Music International Awards (BMM).
- He won three awards and was nominated for nine awards at the Voice of Independent Music Awards (VIMA) in 2012.
- In 2013, he and his duo partner Sukhjit Singh Gill were honoured with the Brand Laureate Country Branding Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation for promoting tourism in Malaysia through their music videos.
Goldkartz receiving the Brand Laureate Country Branding Award
- The Malaysian Book of Records has listed him on the list of ‘Malaysia’s High Achievers List.’
- He received the Distinguished Conduct Medal ‘Pingat Pekerti Terpilih (P.P.T.)’ from His Royal Highness, Sultan Azlan Shah.
- He was honoured with the ‘Commanders Paduka Mahkota Perak (P.M.P)’ award by His Royal Highness, Sultan Azlan Shah.
- The duo ‘Goldkartz’ has four entries in the Malaysia Book of Records in their name for becoming the first Malaysian group to produce a bhangra album titled ‘Loaded’ in 2008, to produce and sing a song in a Bollywood film in 2011, to produce a Dhol album ’24 Karaatz’ in 2011, and to perform at the United Kingdom Music Awards at Wembley Stadium, London in 2013.
Facts/Trivia
- He is also called M-Ji by his fans.
- The sibling duo of Manjit and Sukhjit Singh Gill is popularly known as ‘Malaysia’s Bhangra Ambassadors.’
- In January 2013, he started a charitable movement ‘Gold Heart Project’ in Malaysia.
- The duo’s album ’24 Karaatz’ (2011) was launched by Rosmah Mansor, wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. In an interview, she said that she was very impressed by the efforts put in by the sibling duo ‘Goldkartz’ to promote bhangra music at the international level. While praising the duo in the interview, she said,
Goldkartz’s effort truly manifested the spirit of Malaysia Boleh (Malaysia can), where everyone can succeed provided they work hard and are committed to achieving success.”
- In 2014, the sibling duo performed at the Russian-Asian Modern Culture Festival held in Moscow and became the first Southeast Asian group to perform at the festival.
- The singers filmed their song ‘Desi Patola’ (2015) in Malaysia to promote the country’s landmarks for tourism. In an interview, Manjit Singh Gill talked about it and said,
This is the first time we are having a music video fully filmed in Malaysia. Most of our past music videos were filmed in London, Paris and India. We have decided it is time to feature our home country prominently and promote its landmarks for tourism.”