Sarojini Trust in Rajasthan and Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya near Dharwad may be quite apart geographically, but have a common passion and focus. While the trust in Rajasthan aims to support the musically rich but economically and socially backward Mirasi community, the school near Dharwad aims to empower disadvantaged children through education and Hindustani music.
No wonder then that the two have regular exchanges. For example, one of the senior students of Vidyalaya, Krishna Sutar, spent five months in Pugal in Rajasthan learning music from renowned Sufi musician Mir Mukhtiyar Ali, who is one of the founders of the trust. The centre in Kalkeri currently has a student from Pugal, Ali Sher, learning tabla.
Now, Sarojini Trust is stepping in to help raise funds for the school at Kalkeri, which has 200 children from socially and economically backward families studying free in a residential facility. Mukhtiyar will sing at a fund-raising event here on February 22.
For infrastructure The programme, titled ‘Saugaat’ (meaning ‘gift’ in Hindi) will help Kalkeri Sangeet Vidyalaya improve its infrastructure. The school founded by French-Canadian Mathieu Fortier, his wife Agathe Meurisse-Fortier, brother Blaise Fortier and Sitar player Ustad Hameed Khan in 2002, functions entirely through funding from donors.
The school was recently awarded the Zayed Future Energy Prize given by the U.A.E. government, which carries a purse of $ 100,000. With these funds, they have started an energy sustainability project to install solar power lighting and heating systems, and a biogas plant. “Once these installations are complete, we hope that KSV will also become a shining light in the local community for sustainable living,” said Adam Woodward, director of the Vidyalaya.
The concert is on February 22 at Alliance Française between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. For details, mail info@ksv.org.in
