Beat the Blues with Anuradha Pal
When the Covid lockdown hit the world in March 2020, Tabla maestro Anuradha Pal went on a mission to help the poor and ignored in society. First, she launched a live program called ‘Beat the Blues with Anuradha Pal’ on 22 March 2020, to alleviate stress and depression by spreading positivity of Indian music, spirituality and culture… Soon loyal fans from Argentina, Brazil, USA, Japan, India and Europe would log in religiously Live! every day on Facebook and Instagram to bask in the power of Anuradha’s music and charisma as it helped them to beat their blues of depression, since the monster of Coronavirus had hit our lives and livelihood, badly. Sharing over 1800 minutes of her rich knowledge and experience over 64 free sessions, Anuradha Pal engagingly presented a new topic daily on Indian music, demonstrating her commitment to Heal the World through Music…
Beneficiaries
Sent Financial help and Food ration to 350 poor musicians across 20 states of India – Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh & New Delhi. Beneficiaries include –
- Underprivileged communities – Bhil, Garo, Kathodi, Koch-Rajbongshi, Dhadi tribals, Kathputli (Puppet) artists, Manganiar, Lakha, Jogi, Meghwal musicians, Charkula, Ponung, Matka Bhawai, Terahtali, Kalbeliya dancers, Manta Drummers, Knife jugglers & Bahurupiyas.
- Sent financial aid directly to bank accounts of Covid-affected poor, ailing, disabled persons, studio technicians & instrument makers (Morchang, Sitar, Sarangi, Kamaicha, Dhol, Hudka, Tabla, Pakhawaj & Tanpura makers).
- Musicians benefited – Folk & Classical dancers, Orchestra players, Jaagar & Malwa Folk musicians, Ghazal, Bhajan, Chorus, Bar, Karaoke singers, Carnatic & Hindustani Classical vocalists & instrumentalists, Khadtaal, Alghoza, Kamaicha, Dholak, Nagada, Jaltaal, Pakhawaj, Dhol, Tabla, Nadaswaram, Mridangam, Kanjira, Ghatam, Morchang, Veena, Sarangi, Damau & Harmonium players.
Aatma Nirbhar Kala Ke Sangh Festival
For any artist, the joy of performing is the ultimate high. Hence to boost their morale in these difficult times, Anuradha Pal through Sur aaur Saaz events launched another superb initiative called ‘Aatma Nirbhar Kala Ke Sangh Festival‘ in January 2021, giving 25 marginalised artists from diverse states – Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kolkata, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, UP, Maharashtra & Punjab – presenting the traditional Folk/ Classical music of their respective states in a celebration of India’s unity amidst diversity, leading upto India’s Republic Day – a fantastic opportunity to perform, earn and monetise their art through her popular Facebook & Instagram pages. The audience could donate directly and book the musicians for concerts, so they could become ‘Aatma-nirbhar’ or self- reliant to earn from their art, in these difficult times.
Other initiatives
- In September, Anuradha donated 81 superb reference books in memory of her late father and doyen of the Pharmaceutical industry, Mr Devinder Pal, to the Bombay College of Pharmacy library.
- On 11th Oct 2020, i.e., International Day of the Girl child, Anuradha instituted the Padmashri M.T. Vyas Stree Shakti award, in memory of her grandfather and well-known educationist Padmashri M.T. Vyas, to encourage young girls towards Indian music and dance and social service. In a grand online function, the book ‘The Teacher and the Taught’ written by Padmashri M.T. Vyas and edited by Anuradha’s mother Ila Pal was released by the Honourable Union Minister of Education Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in the presence of various luminaries from the fields of Culture, Music, Film and the Arts. Here, Anuradha and her husband gave the award along with a Kisan Vikas Patra Award (to long term benefit the poor farmers of our country) of Rs 1,11,111 from her dear actor friend Shri Jackie Shroff.
- On her birthday on 8 May 2021, Anuradha and her husband donated a wheel chair, walker and over 1200 gloves and masks to patients, doctors and frontline workers in Mumbai’s BMC Covid care centre and MLC offices.