Musicians approach Kerala CM seeking financial aid

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With much of the state’s festivals happening between the months of January and April being cancelled owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, organisations like the Global Carnatic Musicians Association and the Sri Chembai Memorial Trust has approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking financial aid for musicians and artists who are left in the limbo.

C Neelakantan, treasurer, Sri Chembai Memorial Trust said that the cancellation of programmes mainly affect those musicians who depend on stage programmes alone.“These five months are very crucial for them. Also there are musicians who accompany dance ensembles during festivals. All major music festivals planned across the state have been cancelled. They are suffering without any income now,” said Neelakantan.

He along with Vaikom Venugopal, Kerala regional secretary, Global Global Carnatic Musicians Association, sent the memorandum to the chief minister seeking financial aid for the musicians.
“Our request is they take the issue of the musicians into consideration and add them to the list of beneficiaries who are being financially aided by the government during this crisis,” added Neelakantan.