As virtual communication has become the new normal amid the Covid-19 lockdown, the Parent’s Association Thalassemic Unit Trust (PATUT), which is working to raise funds for treatment on children suffering from Thalassemia has decided to organise its annual fundraiser online this year. None other than Ghazal maestro Padmashri Pankaj Udhas will be at his best in the musical night to soothe the ears of his fans and the ghazal connoisseurs.

The concert which is being presented virtually for the music lovers was originally held in 2018 at Shanmukhananda hall, Mumbai, where Pankaj Udhas for the very first time had performed with the Symphony Orchestra. This recorded concert will showcase all his hit songs in his inimitable style with a grand symphony. The concert will be presented online by our digital platform partner Hungama. All proceeds in terms of donations will go to the charity to help the treatment of thalassemic children.  

This is not a ticketed event and can be watched by all viewers across the world. We have tied up with Ketto to facilitate viewers to donate online to the charity directly.

Pankaj Udhas is a socially conscious citizen and not many know, but behind the velvet voice, the Ghazal maestro has been associated with the social field for more than three decades.  He has been actively involved in charity and social work as the President of Parent’s Association Thalassemic Unit Trust ( PATUT) Mumbai since 1987.  PATUT was established on February 22, 1986 at St. George’s Hospital, Mumbai.

Thalassaemia is purely a genetic disorder that affects the vital tissue of the body – Blood. It is passed on through parents who carry abnormal thalassaemia genes in their cells. If a Child is born Thalassaemia Major, then he needs blood transfusions every 20 days to survive. Every year 10,000 children with Thalassaemia Major are born in India, which constitutes 10% of the total number in the world and one out of every 8 carriers of Thalassaemia worldwide lives in India. On an average, 3.5 % of the population is the carrier of either Thalassaemia Minor or Major.

In the backdrop of the nature of the ailment and the funds it need for the treatment, fundraising from among the people becomes very important. Pankaj Udhas has been playing a key role by organizing an annual musical concert towards the cause. This special virtual Ghazal concert by the evergreen and the most popular singer Shri Pankaj Udhas this year, is one of the steps taken by PATUT in the direction of raising funds.

During the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic, organizing a live concert was not possible as it could have led to risking the lives of the common people and music lovers. PATUT, therefore, decided to reproduce the recorded concert for the fans of the Ghazal maestro. PATUT, in its efforts to continue supporting patients to the best possible capacity, is requesting donors for additional support since their regular sources of income have been seriously impacted.

Pankaj Udhas  is credited as one of the pillars of ghazal singing in India for bringing a different style to this genre of music. Ghazals by him and others have given a new lease of life to Ghazal singing in India. He has recorded many albums and songs and is considered one of the greatest ghazal singers of India. As a result, the government awarded him with a Padmashri to acknowledge his talent.

The Ghazal Symphony Scored by Deepak Pandit will take place on Saturday 21^st November, at 8.30 pm and is being organised by Perfect Harmony Productions and Hungama.