India’s Radio Mirchi has launched the first edition of ‘Mirchi Music Awards Punjabi’ to honour the artists in the Punjabi music industry.

The 33-station network’s ‘Mirchi Music Awards’ already recognise musical talents in various languages like Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

Punjabi is a language widely spoken in the northern state of Punjab in the country.

The premier edition of ‘Mirchi Music Awards Punjabi’ will select winners from more than 1800 songs, according to Radioandmusic.com.

They will be judged by a 35-member jury including big names Punjabi music industry like Charanjit Ahuja, Rajiee Shinde, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Malkit Singh, Shamsher Singh Sandhu, Dr. Jaspinder Narula and Sachin Ahuja.

The judging will be done through secret voting and renowned audit firm Ernst & Young will manage it.

Winners will be revealed on December 14 at a grand event in Jalandhar which will also feature performances by fifteen popular local artists.

Radio Mirchi North & East SVP and Regional Director, Vivek Modi told Radioandmusic.com: “Punjabi music is not only rich in heritage and diversity, it extensively influences the Bollywood music of today.”