Palak Muchhal was 7 when she sang for Kargil heroes. She’s still singing — now for kids with cardiac problems

Song in her head is for the heart

Palak Muchhal was 7 when she sang for Kargil heroes. She’s still singing — now for kids with cardiac problems

    She was seven years old when the Kargil war broke out in 1999. Blessed with a sweet voice, Palak Muchhal would sing her heart out at Indore’s shops. She raised Rs 25,000 for the martyrs’ families. Now 21, she’s still on song, touching hearts in more ways than one.
    These days also doing playback for Hindi films, Palak sings in 17 different languages — all with one unshakable resolve: to raise funds for poor children with heart ailments. Her charity shows for ‘Save Little Hearts’ have helped 572 children so far. And there are 621 more on her immediate waiting list. Those close to her say she has spent over Rs 2.5 crore for the treatment of these kids.
    What set her off on this path? “While passing through a busy road one day, I saw a group of poor kids loitering aimlessly. That’s when the idea of helping them flashed in my mind,” says Palak. Opportunity knocked three years ago when teachers of a local school approached her for a charity show to raise funds for a poor
student, Lokesh Puril, who was suffering from a congenital heart defect. Palak agreed. She performed in the busy Rajwada area of Indore, on a stage made of trolleys. “I collected Rs 55,000, enough for Lokesh’s treatment.”
    Just then, Bangalore-based cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty agreed to do the operation for free. With the money in her kitty, Palak soon put out a newspaper ad offering help to any child with cardiac complications. There was no looking back after that. “The moment a doctor comes out of an operation theatre and tells me a child can be saved, I feel that’s the
only motivation I need,” says Palak, who has just finished her BCom (final) exams.
    District child welfare & women development officer Vishal Nadkarni, who’s also nodal officer for heart operations in government hospitals, says Palak has indeed “happily sponsored” some operations set up by them.
    Palak also works as a bridge for an NGO run by film actor Salman Khan who, incidentally, has family roots in Indore, and has facilitated surgeries. An Indore-based cardiac surgeon, Dr Manish Porwal, says Palak’s contribution has been significant. “It’s due to her efforts that many poor kids could be treated at some of the big hospitals of the country.”
    Along the way she’s earned the gratitude of parents such as Nazma, mother of Moinuddin, 6. “I lost all hope when a local hospital refused to treat my son who had four holes in his heart. Palak entered my life as an angel when she came forward to bear the costs through the NGO.”
    Noted activist Dr Anil Bhandari says, “Palak’s heart truly beats for poor children. She has set an example. Being young is no bar when it comes to working for a good cause.”

HOPE FLOATS: Palak with a team of doctors after a successful surgery