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VOL. 19 NO. 19 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2013 • P.O. BOX 623 • SUGAR LAND, TX 77487 • PERIODICAL PERMIT USPS 017-699 25 C

Ekal Vidyalya’s annual fundraiser at Stafford Center, featuring noted playback singer Sanjeevani Bhelande on May 3 drew more than 1,100 people.

The Houston event is part of the nationwide concert tour, under the theme “Swar Sanjeevani”, scheduled in 44 places across the U.S.

The entertainment program was a first class concert of Bollywood music - mostly old classics sung in superb style by two very accomplished singers — Sanjeevani Bhelande and Chirag Panchal.

Sanjeevani, the first winner of the Sa Re Ga Ma competition, started with the title song of the movie Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. Chirag Pachal opened with “Man tarpat Hari darshan ko” from the movie Baiju Bawra.

Panchal, who sang beautifully, could easily modify his voice to sound almost exactly like Mukesh,

Swar Sanjeevani moves hearts and minds of Ekal supporters

Above, Sanjeevani Bhelande, at Stafford Centre, accompanied by Chirag Panchal, center, and Mohit Shastry, right; Amit Mehta on tabla and dholak and Rupesh Rane on percussion are not in the picture; Below, Ramesh and Kokila Shah gave a first-hand account after their recent tour of 100 Ekal schools in India.

—Photos KIRTI JAIN.

Mohammad Rafi or Manna De and even Rahat Fateh Ali.

Sanjeevani’s tribute to Shamshad Begum (who passed late last month at the age of 94) was quite a treat. She sang two of Shamshad’s most well-known songs - “Saiyyan dil mein aana re” and “Jawan hai mohabat.” But her best came in the form of a fast medley of nine songs by Lata Mangeshkar in the movie Barsaat. Sanjeevani has a very melliflous, sweet voice as does Chirag.

Their duet from V. Shantaram’s film Navrang, Tu chhupi hai kahan, earned them loud, long applause with the audience demanding an encore. They readily obliged - they are probably used to getting such a request for that song. Sanjeevani also sang two of her own Bollywood songs, including “Chori chori narzaein mili” from Kareeb. Her Meerabai bhajan in Hindi and English (one line in Hindi was followed by its translation in English) was a quaint and unique item.

Sanjeevani and Chirag were ably accompanied on the tabla and dholak by Amit Mehta, Mohit Shastry on the flute and keyboard and Rupesh Rane on octopad.

Even as the enthusiastic audience enjoyed the soulful music,they contributed to the cause, with funds for at least 900 Ekal schools in remote parts of India.

Gopal Savjani and Pankaj Maheshwari were recognized as ‘Donors of the decade’ for their contribution of more than 300 schools.

The Ekal movement is the largest, grassroots, non-government education movement in India, operating in over 48,000 villages and educating over 1.4 million

children in rural parts of the county.

Ekal Vidyalaya USA Houston chapter president Nikhil Mehta recalled his visit to an Ekal school in Uttaranchal state where he said he could see the dreamy eyes of the eager learners.

“Those eyes challenge us to part with just a small percentage of our earnings” to help them in their quest for learning and education,” he said.

Ramesh Shah, co-convener of Ekal Global, narrated his recent experience. Accompanied by his wife Kokilaben, he visited 100 Ekal schools in 12 states from Assam to Kanyakumari.

“There are children attending government schools and yet again in the evening they come to Ekal schools because it is the only place where they get true value based education. They were overjoyed to see someone taking efforts to travel from thousands of miles and taking interest in their lives,” Shah said.

Kokilaben also requested the audience to visit at least one school in their lifetime and experience the simple yet the tough life of the villagers.

The amazing dedication of teachers who hailed from same hamlets or neighborhoods, was inspirational to children, who eagerly attended the schools, shah said. Money alone is not enough to make a successful school, but dedicated teachers were needed, he said.

After 65 years of independence, India’s remote villages lacked basic amenities like water and electricity, but now at least they have access to education.

The Ekal movment’s target is to establish at least 100,000 schools by 2015.

Right, Volunteers with Ekal Vidyalaya USA Houston chapter president Nikhil Mehta, rear, fourth from left.