KOCHI: If music be the food of love, then Cochin Sreeragam is doing it just right. This music troupe is raising money through their music to contribute to the treatment of poverty-stricken children who suffer from cancer, kidney failure, heart diseases and so on.
Recently, Assistant district collector Renu Raj handed over Rs 50,000 put together by the Cochin Sreeragam troupe. The amount was handed over to 15-year-old Abhinava, who is suffering from renal disease. The event was held at Ernakulam press club. Sajeev Muppathadam, a philanthropist, is the main coordinator. Sajeev and his troupe have sung for various stage programmes and even for wedding functions. Amjad kumar Kollam and the son of sajeev, master Amar Shekh are the other singers in the troupe.
This is their 62nd undertaking in providing charitable work for underprivileged children, under the age of 16 years, suffering from terminal diseases. The target amount for the treatment of a single child is met within a maximum of 45 days.
Sajeev used to work as a goldsmith in Coimbatore. “I have experienced the pain of losing my loved ones to cancer. My parents, two sisters and a brother lost their battle for life to cancer. These traumatic incidents lead me to initiate the fundraising programme through this troupe”, said Sajeev. “My passion for music and my vocation for helping these children can be considered as the success of this troupe,” he added. It has been 11 years since Sajeev started this endeavour. And he attributes the success of his endeavours not to the handsome donations made by celebrities and rich people, but to the kind-heartedness of the common people.
They received many calls from parents of suffering children from different districts requesting their help to raise money for the treatment. Protocol states that in times like this, the parents ought to get a letter from the panchayat president and also a statement from the closest police station to confirm the identity of the one with the disease. “Media is the much-needed catalyst for the growth of our troupe” sajeev said.
At present, the trope is working towards collecting money for the treatment of a girl from chalakkudy who is a cancer patient.