Hyderabad|India|March'2010: Renowned playback singer Roopkumar Rathod is to perform in city. ‘Jagrati-2010’, a melodious evening with enlightening discourse will see performances by Roopkumar Rathod and Deepak Shah, a well-known singer from Gujarat . Organised by Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Relief Foundation Trust with an aim to create awareness about Dialysis, the program will be held from 6:30 pm at Lalita Kala Thoranam, Public Gardens , Hyderabad on Sunday, 14th March 2010. The three hour program is expected to be attended by about 3500 people, including the needy patients who are availing the benefits from the trust.

Hyderabad is a diabetic capital. Approximately 7% of the population is diabetic, due to which sometimes kidneys fail. Patients need dialysis, sometimes 8 to 12 times a month depending on their condition. Each dialysis costs anywhere from Rs 1200/- to 2000/-. The cost is so much that needy patients cannot afford dialysis regularly. The Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Relief Foundation Trust formed by sixteen like-minded Jain individuals has been extending financial help to needy dialysis patients. Needy patients who need regular dialysis are being attended to for the past four months. Such patients are provided coupons, patients go to Mahavir Hospital, Mahesh Hospital, Challa Nursing Home, etc. with the coupons and get dialysis done at a concessional rate of Rs.300/- only, against the normal rates of around Rs 1200/- to 2000/-. Started in July 2009 with one patient, today they have 137 patients benefitting from the trust. The coupons are issued on last Sunday of every month. The trust has contributed to an extent of approximately Rs 20 lakhs for over 3500 dialysis so far.

Roop Kumar Rathod, a playback singer and music director is also an accomplished Ghazal singer and a Tabla player. Son of Late Pandit Chaturbhuj Rathod, a well know Indian classical singer, Roopkumar started his career as a Tabla player. Roopkumar was introduced as a playback singer by the music directors Laxmikant – Pyarelal for the Hindi film Angaar (1992). Later, he sang in the Hindi films such as Gumrah, Raja, Naajayaz, Gaddaar, Bhairavi, PremGranth etc. He shot to fame with the songs “To Chalun” and “Sandesein Aate Hain” from the Hindi film Border (1997). Roopkumar is also a music director and has composed the music of films such as Woh Tera Naam Tha (2004), Madhoshi (2004), Zeher (2005) etc.

Some of his well known songs are ‘Kho Diye Jitne Lamhe’ (Vinashak), Jatin – Lalit’s ‘Zindagi Maut Na Ban Jaye’ (Sarfarosh) and ‘Yeh Zameen Hai Rehguzar’ (Dillagi) and ‘Khamosh Raat’ under A. R. Rahman for Thakshak. His Aashirwaad title song ‘Nanhi Si Muskaan’ and those of other television series like Discovery of India, Badaltey Rishtey and Rishtey are among his other accomplishments. Some of his recent songs include: Barson Yaaron Banake Pyari and Yaari Bina He Besuri (London Dreams); Salaam Aaya (Veer); Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai (Rab Ne Bani De Jodi), etc.

The entry to the program is by Invitation only. For invitations, one can contact on Tel: (040) 24742896.

Reachout's News Bureau
March' 2010