With Aashayein 2019, 4 Mumbai students hope to raise funds for an NGO that works with underprivileged children through music

In a bid to raise funds for Music Basti, an organisation that aims to inculcate leadership skills in children from under-resourced schools through music, four high school students have come together to organise the concert, Aashayein 2019 in Mumbai.

The proceedings of this musical fundraiser, to be staged on 21 September 2019, at the YB Chavan Auditorium, Nariman Point, will be directed towards children who aspire to connect with the world through the language of rhythm and sound.

Conceptualised by Vihaan Mangat, Eesha Bodapati, Sriya Bodapati and Prisha Mangat, the musical fundraiser Aashayein 2019, will be held on 21 September, 2019. Image courtesy Eesha Bodapati

A brainchild of Eesha Bodapati, Sriya Bodapati, Prisha Mangat, and Vihaan Mangat, the concert was conceptualised by the four friends to not only share with the audiences their collective passion and love for creating and performing music but also to raise funds for those children who are not equipped with enough resources to do so.

Aashayein 2019 is then guided by the altruistic desire to make available resources for under-privileged students to learn music coupled with a persisting urge within the school-goers themselves to continue the practice and performance of their art.

Vihaan, a student of class 9, explains, “We wanted to share our happiness that we feel when we create and perform music. We decided to create a musical concert which works as a fundraiser and raises funds for those who don't have the same opportunities that we do.”

The proceedings from the concert will be directed towards children who aspire to connect with the world through the language of rhythm and sound. Image courtesy Eesha Bodapati

The four students who have been friends since early childhood attribute the birth of Aashayein, according to Prisha, a class 11 student, to her big dreams, Eesha's passion, Sriya's compassion and Vihaan's ambition, along with their ‘shared love for all things music.’

“Taking these aspects of our individual personalities, we wanted to create something bigger than ourselves, our main goal being to help create social change through music.”

Of juggling homework, exams and extra-curricular activities with the work that goes behind planning a concert, Prisha says, “Of late every minute that is spared from school work has been dedicated to the upcoming show.”

At the risk of being asked ‘Do you even study anymore?’ the four organisers have put together Aashayein 2019, right from its nascent stages of brainstorming and ideation to hunting for talented youth and co-ordinating hours upon hours of rehearsals, with the occasional input from their mentors, Hema S Khanna for Indian vocals and Ruhika Rao on Western music.

Working with Music Basti and observing first-hand their sessions in several schools, the four students of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School were able to discern how learning music had “helped them [the children] develop patience, passion, teamwork and perseverance.”

“For the classes that we were able to observe, there was a clear shift in the attitude of the children while they were sitting and interacting with each other, to when they were engaged in learning music from their ‘didis’ and ‘bhaiyas,’” elaborates Eesha on the positive impact that learning music can have on children.

She continues, “Music Basti has really impacted the lives and overall development of these children, and this is very evident in their temperaments and behaviour.”

Since 2008, the non-governmental organisation has been helping students learn the fundamentals of music, write original songs and participate in public performances. As of 2019, Vihaan notes that its outreach comprises as many as 1200 students in various cities across the country including Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and rural villages in Dharwad, Karnataka.

Music as a way of life

Music has for long been recognised as a powerful stimulant that fosters learning and knowledge-building. For Eesha, currently a student of class 11, it is difficult to imagine a time when music was not a part of her life. Tremendously passionate about the art, she notes that through the years, it has inculcated in all four of them a plethora of skills such as discipline, time management, the urge to find ones passion while juggling everything else and most importantly to never give up even when things get too hard.

“I think the fact that music is something so major in our lives pushed us to make Aashayein 2019,” she concedes.

From ideation to planning rehearsal schedules, Aashayein 2019 has been entirely put together by the four high school students. Image courtesy Eesha Bodapati

Eesha also points out, “Music is also something extremely powerful, and it’s something that helps make connections a lot easier and faster. I think this was also one of the reasons we wanted to use music as a way to connect with children.”

Furthermore, the engaging course model of Music Basti, the co-founder of Aashayein notes, blends activities and learning imparting the values of teamwork and leadership. She adds, “Through these exercises, children from under-resourced schools are able to not only grow as individuals, but also gain the attributes necessary to become good leaders.”

From Beatles' 'Hey Jude' to Hindi numbers such as 'Nachdi Phira', audiences can look forward to some exciting performances at the concert. Image courtesy Eesha Bodapati

Of Aashayein 2019, Sriya, studying in class 9, says one can look forward to a bunch of exciting performances. Taking the stage would be artists from Mumbai-based institutions such as the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Oberoi International School and Jai Hind College. From Beatles’ 'Hey Jude' to Whitney Huston’s 'I Will Always Love You' and Hindi numbers such as 'Nachdi Phira', audiences can witness some exciting, energetic performances conceptualised by the students.

Even as the team is currently engaged in setting up the concert and raising funds for Music Basti, Vihaan hopes that in the future, their work will be able to support other organisations that are similarly striving to bring about social change.

Aashayein 2019, a musical fundraiser will be held on 21 September, 2019 at the YB Chavan Auditorium in Mumbai