A Song For Grace

It is customary to ring in the New Year with hope and joy. And that is as it should be. Pessimism is an attitude not conducive to progress and evolution.

But the end of the year may also be a good time to think of all the wrongs, the injustices, and—yes—the evil that we see around us, and resolve to do our little bit to make the world a better place.

Swarajya’s columnist Paddy Padmanabhan is a Kolkata Tamilian who is now a Chicago-based entrepreneur. He is also an extraordinarily gifted musician and composer. He was appalled and moved enough by the gang-rape and murder of a young woman in Delhi on 16 December 2012 to write a song in her memory.

But this song is not only about the girl we tragically lost. Its theme is universal, it is about the bestial manner in which much of humanity across the world treats 50 per cent of its members: women—from foetus to old age.

Swarajya is proud to present Paddy’s song, and we ask you to share this song with your friends.

Here it is, with a message from Paddy:

“This is a song I wrote in memory of the young woman who lost her life to gender violence in New Delhi in December 2012. The incident was a disturbing reminder of violence against women in India. I was very encouraged by the public backlash and the response of the Indian judicial system in enforcing the law and bringing the culprits to justice. However, violence against women worldwide remains a scourge that needs to be eradicated. I rewrote and arranged this song with the help of musician friends across the world and decided to release it as a plea to stop violence against women. Please take a few minutes to watch the video and spread the message. Thank you.”