Advaitha – A Symphony Unites Music, Awareness And Action For Drowning Prevention

Sonam Kalra, the world-renowned Sufi singer, yesterday demonstrated how powerful influencers can strengthen a cause. While she enthralled the audience at IIC with her Sufi songs, she supported the drowning prevention campaign spearheaded by Hemant Bala Advaita (HBA) Foundation.

It is painful for a family to lose the life of a younger member to drowning, and only parents can truly understand the depth of that pain. It never goes away. While stressing the need to create awareness that can prevent drowning, she also urged grieving parents not to weep endlessly over their beloved.

"Every soul that has passed remains with us in spirit," she said. To capture this eternal connection, she beautifully recited the timeless verses of Mary Elizabeth Frye, leaving the audience with its comforting truth: "Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there, I do not sleep."

Among others who were present to strengthen the Drowning Prevention Mission were former Speaker of the Lok Sabha Ms Meira Kumar, India's Waterman and Raman Magsaysay Award winner Dr Rajendra Singh, eminent Kathak dancer Ms Shovana Narayan, senior IAS officer Rashmi Singh, cultural visionary Sangeeta Gupta, strategic and defence expert Major General Karun Kumar Sinha (Retd.), veteran journalist Rakesh Sharma and Founder and Chairman of ANI, Mr Prem Prakash.

HBA convenor Santosh Verma stressed the need to create awareness about water safety measures and exhorted people to join the mission to multiply the efforts. There is a need for children to know what should be done during emergencies such as drowning.

"By bringing together distinguished voices from governance, culture, media, environmental advocacy and civil society, we hope to encourage people to recognise their social responsibility and become active participants in preventing avoidable deaths," he added.

Although the function was organised to mark Advaitha's tragic death in Pawna Lake on June 23, 2024, it transcended the personal.

The HBA reminded the audience about the tragic deaths of two young boys, Satyam (18) and Prashant (24), who drowned in the Bawana-Munak Canal in Delhi on Sunday after being swept away by strong currents while bathing. Their families waited in anguish late into the night, holding on to the faint hope that their sons would return.

The HBA also highlighted the Greater Noida tragedy of January 2026, where 27-year-old techie Yuvraj Mehta pleaded for help after his car fell into a water-filled pit. He flashed the torchlight of his mobile phone, shared his location with his father, Rajkumar Mehta, and cried, "Papa, save me. I don't want to die." Yet, he drowned in full public view.

Two minutes of silence were observed as a tribute to all those who had lost their lives to drowning and to give strength to the families to bear the loss with fortitude.

Meira Kumar lauded the efforts of the HBA to transform personal loss into a mission for saving lives.

"I deeply understand the profound pain of the parents who lost their young child, and it is incredibly moving to see how they have commemorated his memory through the establishment of HBA Foundation. The evening beautifully illustrated the delicate balance between two extremes: on one hand, there is the intense grief of a devastating loss, and on the other, a powerful sense of purpose and resolution to transform that pain into action. Their mission to implement stringent safety measures so that no other family has to endure the tragedy of a drowning accident is truly noble. This was undoubtedly one of the most poignant and quintessential programs I have ever witnessed. I offer my heartfelt wishes to the family and the foundation as they continue their vital work in spreading awareness."

Dr Rajendra Singh highlighted that not a single drowning death had happened in any of the 15,800 water bodies he had created.

This was because the dams and ponds were constructed in such a way that excess water would seep deep into the earth and recharge it, preventing flooding, which is a major cause of drowning deaths. He stressed the need to make water bodies safer in India, particularly at tourist destinations.

Gen Sinha, while pointing to the dangers of such silent disasters, urged people to respect water bodies and not take them casually.

He stressed the need for danger mapping of water bodies so that tourists can understand what is safe and what is not.

Dr Shovana Narayan said:

"I wholeheartedly appreciate the monumental endeavour undertaken by HBA Foundation. I truly understand how unimaginably difficult it is for a family to lose an 18-year-old son, and it is profoundly moving to watch them channel that immense grief into a meaningful purpose. They are shedding light on many neglected aspects of water safety that desperately need our attention. With so many water bodies across the region and drowning accidents reported every single day, the foundation's work to grapple with this situation, by increasing safety measures and finding ways to prevent future tragedies, is critical. The event was curated most sensitively and gracefully. The Foundation has my full support as they continue to spread awareness."

Rashmi Singh said:

"The sheer depth and essence of this event transported the audience into a world where no parent bears the loss of their child, evoking the profound philosophy of 'Advaitha', a state of oneness where individual sorrow transcends into a collective, universal calling. By beautifully bridging their personal journey with the critical, larger world of disaster management and preventive safety, the parents are turning awareness into actionable protection. It was an immersive experience that not only moved the soul but urgently awakened the conscience to ensure such tragedies are prevented."

India continues to witness tragic drowning incidents in rivers, reservoirs, lakes, beaches, waterfalls, open drains, manholes and other water bodies. Children and young adults remain particularly vulnerable.

These recurring losses underline the urgent need for stronger safety measures, wider public awareness and sustained preventive action.

The campaign's message was powerfully interwoven with Sonam Kalra's Sufi presentation. Through evocative renditions celebrating compassion, humanity, resilience and hope, the artist created an atmosphere of profound emotional resonance.

The music transcended entertainment, amplifying the humanitarian purpose of the evening and reminding the audience that every human life is precious.

The evening was compered by Dr Maya Parijat, author, literary curator and cultural commentator, representing CBECO, Vitasta Publishing and Blackspine Publishing.

Through Advaitha - A Symphony, remembrance became resolve, music became a voice for awareness, and personal loss became a mission to protect others.

Drowning is preventable. Every life saved will be a tribute to Advaitha.