Setting a retro tone with Sur Sandhya 2024

Former announcer, Sandhya S Kumar, talks about the upcoming 21st edition of her musical program Sur Sandhya

Former announcer, Sandhya S Kumar, talks about the upcoming 21st edition of her musical program Sur Sandhya

For the first time since the pandemic, Sur Sandhya is back this year with their 21st edition. Helmed by Saras Communications, this musical fundraiser has been curated by Sandhya S Kumar, emcee and former Doordarshan announcer. Slated to take place on November 30, the three-hour event will feature over two dozen songs from the golden era of film music. The proceeds will go to the Rural Development of Child Education and Women Empowerment

Although the program is a Mohammed Rafi — Moods and Melodies special, Sandhya has included quite a few hits by music director Madan Mohan as this is his birth centenary as well as Rafi’s. 

Over the years, Sandhya has been donating all proceeds from the event to an NGO. “This year, we will send it to the Rural Development of Child Education and Women Empowerment (RDCEWE), a public charitable trust near Jharkhand’s tribal belt, run by Basmati Gagrai, a member of one of the tribal communities there. Basmati is also winner of the 2024 Woman Exemplar Award instituted by the CII Foundation.”

“Sur Sandhya is as much for music as it is for a cause. Thanks to the event, many have come to know about promising musicians and organisations working for the underprivileged — that is my aim. It is also a chance to showcase them to Bangaloreans and connect them to people who want to aid a cause.” 

This year’s event will include singers who have made their debut on reality shows and are also classically trained. Saurav Kishan, who is slowly making a name for himself as ‘Chota Rafi,’ Aaroh Shankar, Ranita Banerjee and Shruti Bhide will be singing this year.

“We have also included three medleys for this program that everyone is bound to enjoy,” says Sandhya, adding that her choice of singers was based on the selection of songs she had whittled from a long list that included classics such as Baiju Bawra’s ‘Mann Tadapath Hari Darshan Ko Aaj,’ upbeat numbers like ‘Na Jaa, Kahin Ab Na Jaa’ and love songs like ‘Zindagi Bhar Nahi Boolegi Woh Barsaat Ki Raat.”