She has a voice that heals
MALA KUMAR
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She holds the world record for raising money for heart patients with 300 concerts. Yet Palak Muchhal retains her adolescent charm and sanity
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FOR A CAUSE Palak has so far raised Rs. 75 lakhs through her stage shows — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.
Her humility is touching — literally so because the young singer heads for the feet of any one she is introduced to! After getting into the Guinness Book of Records and the Limca Book of World records for raising the maximum amount of funds for heart patients, after 300 stage shows around the world, and after receiving state and national awards from several organistions, 13-year-old Indore girl Palak Muchhal retains her adolescent charm and her sanity. "I am very happy that people donate money when I sing to raise money for children's heart operations," says the smart teenager, just before her Pigeon's Dil Se Concert organised by the Bangalore City Jaycees at Ambedkar Bhavan.
Fund-raisers
Palak has so far raised Rs. 75 lakh through her stage shows, making it seem as easy as fluttering her eyelashes. The money has been spent towards the medical operations of 139 children and over 300 other children are registered on her list. "I like to sing, and I want to become a playback singer, so that I can continue to help people," informs the young girl in pure Hindi, a pleasure to hear. Doesn't the constant travelling and practice affect her studies, I ask her. "No, I study enough to get good marks, and do only two or three shows a month," answers Palak whose favourite subject is Mathematics.
Palak's association with heart patients began with a boy in Indore called Lokesh. Palak had already come into the limelight for having raised money for Kargil war-affected soldiers by singing outside each shop. A teacher suggested that she have a stage show to raise funds for Lokesh's heart operation. When the news of the endeavour reached the then head of Bangalore's Manipal Heart Foundation, Dr. Devi Shetty, he immediately agreed to operate without a fee. A relieved Palak went back to Indore to return the money to the donors. No donor came forward, but several children with heart ailments contacted her requesting her to help them too. "That was when I decided to continue to hold fundraising concerts to help heart patients," reveals the curly-haired moppet, dressed in a smart blue satin coat and shorts designed by mummy Amita Muchhal.
At Ambedkar Bhavan, Palak regaled the audience with old songs and new. She started the concert with a shloka and a song in Kannada. "I don't understand the language, but I try to learn a few local songs from cassettes wherever I perform," confesses the girl. She does riyaaz for two hours every day. Her gurus include S.N. Misra in Mumbai and Vishwanath Renge and Kamal Kambleji in Indore. As part of Bollywood musician Kalyaniji's Little Star Ensemble, Palak has been closely associated with Hindi film songs.
"Now I sing with Palaash. He also does very good mimicry and sings, dances, and his name has been included in the Guiness Book of World Records for being the youngest guitarist in the world," says Palak with pride for her 10-year-old brother. Palaash has so far raised Rs.1.25 lakh towards the kidney operations of four children. With so much happening in their lives, the kids still find ample time to fight, watch TV, play gulli cricket, badminton and carom board like normal kids. "We also play with our Pomeranian Bachulal Muchhal," says Palak. And what happened to Gopichand Muchhal, I ask her. "You know about him?" gushes the girl. "A cat used to come and worry my white mouse a lot, so we had to give her back," announces Palak.
Titanic song
Having made it to many national television channels, and even to Voice of America, the girl with loves to sing the Titanic song, and in recent times, absolutely enjoyed singing the popular dance number "Manmadha Raasa..." in Chennai.
After the Bangalore Garden City Jaycees concert, Palak will be able to help more kids with heart ailments. And she will add to her collection of dolls — one for every child she has helped to save. She now has 138 dolls. Viewers can look forward to seeing her as adjudge in the Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa show on television soon.
You can contact Palak by mail: babypalak@yahoo.com
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