Rahman – Musician with a Heart * Date Submitted: *Thu Mar 12, 2009 A R Rahman, who created history by becoming the first Indian to win two Oscars, has also been involved in the United Nations campaign to eradicate poverty world wide for several years.
He has supported the cause of the Millennium Development Goals aimed at eliminating or sharply reducing social and economic ills by 2015. Rahman performed at a concert in Delhi, launched an anti-poverty song “Pray for Me Brother” and participated in ‘Mission Ustad’ in support of the world body’s anti-poverty campaign. On March 10, 2004 the Oscar winner was formally appointed as the first Global Ambassador of the “Stop TB Partnership” at a media event in London to promote awareness about a disease that continues to kill two million people every year. While in New York to attend the opening of his hit musical “Bombay Dream” on Broadway, Rahman had personally delivered a copy of the World Health Organization’s “Colors” report on Tuberculosis to former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. His efforts have given the greater visibility to the MDGs and helped in the global and national campaign against poverty. “Bollywood’s music is so much a part of everyday life for virtually every individual in South Asia and the Diaspora and Rahman through his music and popular recognition has helped reach our message to a massive audience. When Rahman adds his dulcet voice and musical magic to the campaign, he strikes a note of world-class innovation and determination”, said Director of Millennium Campaign Salil Shetty. In South Asia, the campaign works to increase public awareness of the MDGs through campaign and policy advocacy work focused on accelerating the progress on achieving MDGs in the key priority countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. It works with a wide range of celebrities across the world, but “I have rarely come across somebody who is so passionate about the fight against poverty and that too with such humility,” he added. A lot of this, no doubt, comes from his own lived experience of hardship and a humble beginning, Shetty said, adding that “We don’t see Rahman purely as a celebrity advocate for the Millennium Development Goals and the UN but much more than that. He is really a fellow campaigner against poverty and injustice.” “To me, Rahman and his music embodies many of the universal values that the UN and the Millennium Development Goals stand for equity, peace, justice and human rights particularly for the poor and excluded in every society. In that sense, we do endorse each other,” he added. http://www.indiajournal.com/pages/event.php?id=6213 -- regards, Vithur
