Children perform at Kalamandir for the Amra Sabai Raja programme. Pictures by Arnab Mondal

Rimpa Manna, a resident of Kidderpore and daughter of a domestic help and a mason, didn’t know a single piece of Rabindrasangeet till she was chosen to join 28 leading singers to pay tribute to Tagore and claim her right to education and music.

The Class IX student was among 150 children who took part in Amra Sabai Raja, a programme organised by Margam in association with the ministry of culture at Kalamandir last Friday.

Students from Akshar, Patha Bhavan, St. James’ School, St. Joseph and Mary’s School and underprivileged children from Margam, the St. James’ afternoon section and CINI Asha sang and enacted Tagore’s songs and poems. Conceptualised by sarod player Rajeeb Chakraborty, the event was aimed at spreading the message of every child’s right to education.

“I have been teaching underprivileged children in different places. Whenever I tried to teach them Tagore songs, the children would want to learn Bollywood numbers instead. I would tell them that for each Bollywood song they sang, they had to learn a non-film song too. The programme is a culmination of that effort. I wanted the children to perform along with mainstream kids and sing for their right to a happy childhood,” Chakraborty said.

The children sang more than 15 Tagore songs, including Aamra Shobai Raja and Aamra Notun Jouboneri Doot and put up short plays such as Kanai Master, Tasher Desh and Sabai ke Chai and recited poems. Jojo, Srikanta Acharya, Soumitra Ray of Bhoomi and Anindya and Upal of Chandrabindoo were among the singers who joined the children.

The children had practised for more than a month to make the programme a success.

“We enjoyed the after-school practice sessions the most as we made so many new friends,” said Eashayu Chakraborty, a Class VII student of St. James, who played the role of the prince in Tasher Desh.