Message from Ravi Ji

Runi Khan was working with me on trying to recreate the “Concert for Bangladesh” in Bangladesh.
It was far from easy trying to pull such a massive project together, but this note from Pandit Ravi Shankar made a big difference to us.
Goodbye Raviji. The angels will rejoice in your music.
——-
Dear Olivia
It is coming up to the 40^th anniversary of the Birth of Bangladesh and time perhaps to reminisce about our memorable Concert for Bangladesh. The world has changed so much since then, but I hope the spirit that drove George and all of us to rise up as individuals against human rights abuses or to address natural calamities remains strong. I was therefore delighted to have been approached by our dear Bangladeshi friend Runi Khan, requesting us to join and give support to an initiative to re-stage the Concert ?in celebration of the 40^th year of the independence of Bangladesh on 16^th December 2011.
The intention this time round is to hold the concert in Bangladesh itself, illustrating how much development has taken place since our initiative in 1971. This project is spearheaded by Bangladeshis, Runi? – whom I have known for many years – and Dr Shahidul Alam, both are very respected in the field of events, photography, film and in cultural and social activism.? They have been plotting to celebrate the concert for years for its own sake but want to use the power of the world of artists to send out a strong message once again. I attach their brief treatment outline.
Their vision is to bring together as many of the performers from the original concert – sadly too many are no longer with us. You are our first port of call as you are instrumental in their being able to move forward with this meaningful and ambitious project and making it happen in 2011.? The idea would be to draw in artists also from the contemporary music scene to reach out to newer generations. The concert would be complemented by a documentary looking at the event then and now. More broadly, it will be accompanied by a programme of awareness raising initiatives.
I understand that Sukanya had introduced Runi to you at our concert at the Southbank Centre in London a few years back and Runi I believe had taken the opportunity to very briefly air her thoughts to you. She said she was touched at the time by your spontaneously positive response.
May I suggest that you meet Runi, as she lives in London. Once you understand first hand their concept and objectives please let me now how feel about this and we can take it from there. You will no doubt appreciate that that there will be a lot of logistics that they will need to address to put together an event of this magnitude. Time is of essence and as such an early response from you will allow them to move forward swiftly.
Warmest wishes
Ravi
Congratulatory letter from Raviji about the proposed Dhaka World Music Festival by Runi, and the Concert for Bangladesh that we were planning.

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Author: Shahidul Alam

Time Magazine Person of the Year 2018. A photographer, writer, curator and activist, Shahidul Alam obtained a PhD in chemistry before switching to photography. His seminal work “The Struggle for Democracy” contributed to the removal of General Ershad. Former president of the Bangladesh Photographic Society, Alam set up the Drik agency, Chobi Mela festival and Pathshala, South Asian Media Institute, considered one of the finest schools of photography in the world. Shown in MOMA New York, Centre Georges Pompidou, Royal Albert Hall and Tate Modern, Alam has been guest curator of Whitechapel Gallery, Winterthur Gallery and Musee de Quai Branly. His awards include Mother Jones, Shilpakala Award and Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dali International Festival of Photography. Speaker at Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, Oxford and Cambridge universities, TEDx, POPTech and National Geographic, Alam chaired the international jury of the prestigious World Press Photo contest. Honorary Fellow of Royal Photographic Society, Alam is visiting professor of Sunderland University in UK and advisory board member of National Geographic Society. John Morris, the former picture editor of Life Magazine describes his book “My journey as a witness”, (listed in “Best Photo Books of 2011” by American Photo), as “The most important book ever written by a photographer.” View all posts by Shahidul Alam