Sound of Struggle, a benefit music concert featuring Pavitra Kumar (piano) and Frank Graves (violin) was held in MIT’s Killian Hall on the 17^th of September. Pavitra, a trained classical pianist from London, a finalist for the BBC’s ‘Young Musician of the Year’, and a volunteer with the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal took center-stage to enthrall about 120 people with astounding skill and musicianship. Pavitra was accompanied for a couple of pieces by accomplished violinist Frank Graves. The event helped raise $2006 for the survivors of the Bhopal Gas Disaster. This disaster happened twenty-six years ago in India, killing thousands of people and injuring half a million more and is the world’s worst industrial disaster. The concert was organized by volunteers of the Boston chapter of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB).

The concert was especially notable for the links it drew between historic brutalities during World War II and the unmitigated suffering of victims of the Bhopal disaster. Pavitra played a piece from the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev who expressed his anguish and anger against the violence of World War II as well as the strength and hope of struggles for justice, through his music. The other compositions from Felix Mendelssohn and Samuel Barber also emotively addressed the multitude of emotions that are manifested in a cause like Bhopal’s. Timothy, an audience member noted: “Enlightening in every way; new insights into the borders of Prokofiev and Barber.”

There was a short break where a documentary highlighting the work of the Sambhavna Clinic was shown. Sambhavna is a free medical facility operated by survivors of the gas tragedy and volunteers and was formed as a result of a growing need for medical intervention among the affected. At Sambhavna, patients are not only treated but also educated and equipped in such a way that they can help others afflicted with similar disorders. Sambhavna clinic also has a research unit, which has produced rigorously tested data published in leading medical journals like Lancet and the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). An enthusiastic Jean Higgins commented, “Wonderful concert. Wonderful music. The documentary brought the cause home.”

The suffering of the Bhopalis which began almost 26 years ago when Union Carbide employed cost-cutting measures resulting in the leakage of methyl isocyanate (MIC) from their plant on December 3^rd 1984, still persists. To date, Union Carbide has not cleaned up the site. The effects of this corporate negligence are still felt, as toxins from the site have crept into the soil and water in Bhopal. Children in Bhopal are still born with birth defects and most Bhopalis still do not have access to clean drinking water. Dow Chemical (Union Carbide’s current parent company) refuses to compensate the victims.

This evening not only showcased the talents of Pavitra and Frank and helped raise funds for the campaign, but also increased awareness about the Bhopal Chemical Disaster, its ongoing effects, and what people can do to help. Vidya, an attendee from Hanover, NH said, “Using music as a tool for education on an injustice is a great idea,” while Spencer from Lincoln, MA heard about Bhopal for the first time at the event.

            www.studentsforbhopal.org     www.bhopal.net          www.bhopal.org

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