Anand Mahindra moved by 80-year-old violinist playing on Kolkata streets, offers help
For years, Bhagwan Mallick has played the violin on the streets of Kolkata to earn a living. Now, the 80-year-old musician's story has caught the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who has offered to help.
For decades, Bhagwan Mallick has stood on the streets of Kolkata with a violin in hand, playing music not for applause, but to survive. Now, the 80-year-old street musician’s story has moved thousands online, including industrialist Anand Mahindra.
A video documenting Mallick’s life went viral on social media, prompting Mahindra to offer support.
He shared the video on X and said, “I’d like to contribute, along with many others, who I know will be moved by his passion. The video didn’t seem to provide details of how and where.”
Mahindra’s post drew responses from users who shared Mallick’s details, helping direct attention to the elderly musician’s circumstances.
Mallick’s story was first brought into the spotlight by content creator Aradhana Chatterjee, who shared his story in May.
In her video, Aradhana said that Mallick lost his parents as a child and learnt to play the violin from his father. After his father’s death, music became more than a passion - it became his means of survival.
Since childhood, he has played on the streets so he could earn enough to eat. Even at 80, Mallick continues to perform daily, despite failing eyesight and a violin so worn out that it is falling apart.
He earns barely Rs 100 a day and lives in a rented house with his wife, who often sits beside him as he plays in support.
In her post, Aradhana wrote that Mallick could usually be found near New Town Bus Stand, DLF subway and New Town Art Street between 5 pm and 11 pm.
“If any cafe, event, gathering, or space would like to invite him to play, even temporarily, it could truly help him and mean a lot to him,” she had said.
Support soon followed.
In an update shared on June 1, Aradhana said she had gifted Mallick a new violin and raised Rs 1 lakh for him.
What began as one woman’s attempt to amplify a struggling musician’s story has now turned into a larger outpouring of empathy - proof that sometimes, all it takes is one video for a lifetime of perseverance to finally be seen.
For decades, Bhagwan Mallick has stood on the streets of Kolkata with a violin in hand, playing music not for applause, but to survive. Now, the 80-year-old street musician’s story has moved thousands online, including industrialist Anand Mahindra.
A video documenting Mallick’s life went viral on social media, prompting Mahindra to offer support.
He shared the video on X and said, “I’d like to contribute, along with many others, who I know will be moved by his passion. The video didn’t seem to provide details of how and where.”
Mahindra’s post drew responses from users who shared Mallick’s details, helping direct attention to the elderly musician’s circumstances.
Mallick’s story was first brought into the spotlight by content creator Aradhana Chatterjee, who shared his story in May.
In her video, Aradhana said that Mallick lost his parents as a child and learnt to play the violin from his father. After his father’s death, music became more than a passion - it became his means of survival.
Since childhood, he has played on the streets so he could earn enough to eat. Even at 80, Mallick continues to perform daily, despite failing eyesight and a violin so worn out that it is falling apart.
He earns barely Rs 100 a day and lives in a rented house with his wife, who often sits beside him as he plays in support.
In her post, Aradhana wrote that Mallick could usually be found near New Town Bus Stand, DLF subway and New Town Art Street between 5 pm and 11 pm.
“If any cafe, event, gathering, or space would like to invite him to play, even temporarily, it could truly help him and mean a lot to him,” she had said.
Support soon followed.
In an update shared on June 1, Aradhana said she had gifted Mallick a new violin and raised Rs 1 lakh for him.
What began as one woman’s attempt to amplify a struggling musician’s story has now turned into a larger outpouring of empathy - proof that sometimes, all it takes is one video for a lifetime of perseverance to finally be seen.
