Subir Malik and actor Sushant Singh has joined hands to put up a charity concert United Unplugged.They spoke to Iknoor Kaur
World over, music is known to heal hearts and send across messages. People have often got together to raise money through music to help some cause.
This time 13 well-known bands from all over the country are getting together to raise money for the victims of the Uttarakhand floods. The event will feature bands and artists like Indian Ocean, Rabbi Shergill, Parikrama, Advaita, Hari & Sukhmani, Bandish and Susmit Sen Chronicles.
United by the spirit of humanity, under Manhattan–The Craft Brewery, the bands will perform for the first time for a charity concert, United Unplugged, tonight in Gurgaon. Conceptualised by Parikrama Inc, the event will fund the recently-formed NGO, leap Foundation, which will carry out rescue and rehabilitation operations in Uttarakhand. Subir Malik from Parikrama feels that any man with talent and a good heart can make a difference. “Parikrama does a lot of charity shows. So, there was no basic idea behind this event, it happened overnight and I started getting in touch with people. I knew there was something we could do to help,” he said.
Subir said that his primary objective was to get in touch with an organisation that could carry out operations in the affected areas, which led him to actor Sushant Singh who is associated with the leap Foundation. Formerly known as the leap Quality Education, the organisation converted itself into a registered foundation only two weeks ago. Sushant spoke passionately about their role in the event, “I am in touch with people in Uttarakhand. The blue print of our field work is almost ready. We have taken this responsibility to utilise the money gained from this event. We will not leave it half way through.”
Subir said that the money they received from Manhattan–The Craft Brewery, amounting to four lakhs, has already been deposited to the leap Foundation. He believes that instead of giving a percentage of the money obtained from tickets, a bulk amount is better. However, Sushant gave us a few inputs on what the situation in Uttarakhand is currently like and how they intend to help people stuck there.
“It is still raining and people’s houses are getting washed away. They need ration. As the roads are gone, only mountaineers can get the ration. That is why we want to go and help them in every way possible. We will provide the people community shelters, storage space for grains, kitchen, medical care and will build shops to get them jobs. At the moment we can’t build houses because the soil is wet.” He added that this was a long term plan and they would eventually build houses in the areas too.
He told us that he got people together through Facebook. “I have sent appeals to all my friends on Facebook to help us out in any way they can and I have got responses,” he shared.
Singh added, “When I took the decision to take up the task of helping people, my wife asked me to rethink. I did and I took a stand that I will do it and be a part of the operations till the end. Till we have the last rupee in the fund, I will be working.” Sushant graduated from a boarding school in Nainital. He said that his attachment to the hills is immense.
“I have always loved the hills and now it is time for me to give back whatever it has given me. For me, this is like guru-dakshina,” he said. Post this concert Sushant said that they would only do events they can afford from their own pockets to raise money. He added, “We don’t want to touch the donor’s money for any event. All publicity is from our own pockets.”