Bengaluru: As students across the country protested the NEET paper leak, a city-based musician chose music over slogans to express his support.Techie-turned-singer Sunil Koshy, co-founder of amateur singing platform From Mug To Mike, composed, recorded, and shot a protest song in under 24 hours after watching the protests unfold in the news and on social media through the week. Titled ‘Datey Raho,’ the 2-minute-11-second track urges listeners to stand firm against injustice, reclaim their voice, and hold their ground until justice prevails.Koshy said the idea came to him while watching heated discussions on WhatsApp groups late on Tuesday night. Instead of joining the debate, he decided to respond through music. By Wednesday morning, Mumbai-based lyricist Sahil Sultanpuri had sent him the lyrics.
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Working with his sound engineer and musicians in Bengaluru, Koshy composed the tune, recorded the song, and filmed the video the same day.Despite its protest theme, Koshy has kept the song apolitical. He asked the lyricist to avoid political messaging and ensured the accompanying video featured only peaceful protest visuals, steering clear of footage showing violence or clashes.The song, released Wednesday, carries an upbeat, high-energy sound designed to inspire rather than provoke.For Koshy, music is a more enduring medium than speeches or online debates. Drawing on India’s rich tradition of protest and freedom songs, he believes music has the power to stay with people long after words are forgotten. “I think a song is much more powerful,” he said. “It should inspire them… they should feel good, feel inspired. This is my contribution.”
