To the rescue

It is a notable occasion when two eminent artists of equal stature come together to perform for a common gathering. It is even more wonde...

It is a notable occasion when two eminent artists of equal stature come together to perform for a common gathering. It is even more wonderful for them to put in a memorable performance whilst having no personal gain. This is precisely what took place on the lawns of Residency Club on December 9 as the two ghazal stalwarts Pankaj Udhas and Anup Jalota joined hands for a concert for RESCUE, a nascent organisation in the city that has come forward with the aim of providing timely help to accident victims on the Mumbai-Pune highway in the form of free ambulance service along with launching a Helpline for people in distress.

And despite the fact that one is known more for his bhajans Jalota and the other famed for his maikhana numbers Udhas the unlikely combination actually seemed to work giving the audience a wide range of numbers to appreciate whether it was Kabhi Kabhi Bhagwan ko bhi bhagton se kaam pade or then Kabhi Kabhi tera maikhana yaad aaye bahut.

Titled Pankaj Udhas in friendship with Anup Jalota8217;, the evening, much to the credit of the organisers began within half an hour of the scheduled hour with Anup Jalota, who is also a founder member of the organisation, rendering a melodious and heart warming vandana.

Following it up with his much appreciated Aisi Laagi Lagan, Meera hogi magan that never fails to spellbound the listeners, Jalota came into his element with Rang de chunariya, tere man mein Ram tan mein Ram and Jaana tha Ganga paar. While it8217;s undoubtedly Jalota8217;s mellifluous voice that has won him so much acclaim, equally noteworthy is the versatile artist8217;s stage presence.

Interspersing his renditions with witty one-liners, many of them impromptu, and his favourite jokes, Jalota has the gift of establishing an instant rapport with the audience that makes all his performances an unforgettable experience. As he proceeded to create the right mood for the evening,he punctuated his devotional numbers with a couple of his well known ghazals such as the haunting Jabse gaye hain aap kisi ajnabi ke saath. He finally rounded off his mesmerising performance with the catchy Dama dam mast kalandar winning a thundering applause from the audience.

After a brief interlude, where the two artists formally launched the RESCUE ambulance as well as the Helpline, the spotlight shifted to Pankaj Udhas, the man who had come all the way down from Mumbai without charging a single penny for his performance that evening as his contribution towards the worthy cause.

Beginning with one of his earliest ghazals Kabhi kabhi tera maikhana yaad aaye bahut, Udhas further strung the evening together with lilting numbers like Niklo na tum benakaab and thodi thodi piya karo. Amongst his relatively newer numbers were the well known Ik woh be tha zamana and Phir haath mein sharab hai. Responding to the never ending stream of requests from the audience Udhas, in conclusion, regaled the crowd with his Chandi Jaisa rang hai tera to finally wrap up his one hour performance with the evergreen Chithi aayee hai.

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While there was room for improvement as far as the sound mixing was concerned, the otherwise well organised evening, followed by dinner, was, in all, one worth spent. With the laudable cause and the ghazal singers heartfelt offerings, doing much to warm the hearts of all who sat there well past midnight, braving the December chill.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More