Boston coalition for Justice in Bhopal and MIT Swara joined forces and presented an evening of Indian Classical music on Nov 22nd 2009.  The event was organized to raise funds and create awareness about the tragedy that struck Bhopal nearly 25 years ago. Unfortunately due to the fact that Dow Chemical (that acquired Union Carbide) refuses to address its liabilities in Bhopal even today at least 50,000 people are too sick to earn a living. The water is contaminated and children are born with diseases that are a direct result of the  toxins that were released from the Union Carbide plant.

The program opened with Aruna Ranganathan singing Sri Ganesha Charanam in Tillang Ragam. This was followed by Nila Kaigirathu by Krithika Shanmughasundaram. Suniti Sundaram followed with Sri Varalakshmi in Sri Ragam. After the MIT contingent came a team from Harvard , Daniel Halder and Sumit Malik who played a westernized variation of Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya.

MIT was back again with Jay Rajan singing Dinamani Vamsa in Harikambhoji Ragam and Priya Ramaswamy (one of the co-founders of Swara) presenting Gokulabala .

Leonid Chindelevich and Srikant Sarangi presented a composition specially created for the evening called Alive. It was a heartfelt rendition and was a tribute to the indefagitable spirit of the people of Bhopal.

Boston University Band Nameless Heroes came in with Na Jaane Kyon. Arvind Thyagarajan presented an Adhi Tala Kedaragoulai Varnam.  Saloni Jain ,Co-President of MIT Swara along with Shashi Mittal  presented the film song Jab Deep Jale Aana. Swatha Kambhampati (co-founder of Swara) presented Swara Raga Sudha in the Ragam Shakarabharanam.

Anandh Swaminathan and Arun Saigal presented a Mridangam Jugalbandi which was followed by Mathura Sridharan's (co-president of MIT Swara) rendition of Etla Ra Dorikithivo in Ragam Vasantha. Many members of the MIT Swara brought the program to a close with Vaishnava Janato.

It was wonderful to see the effort of MIT , Harvard and BU students to present such a nice classical program  to support a wonderful cause.

The event organizers gave a presentation on Bhopal and urged the audience to participate in the campaign.

To learn more about the cause please check  http://www.boston4bhopal.org


 

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