Rema Iyer
Hospital staff feature in a music video that aims to raise money for a charity helping terminally ill people in India.
The video, which has already clocked up almost 10,000 views on YouTube, is the second single released by East Kent Hospitals’ consultant gynaecological oncologist Rema Iyer and her band, Muzic India Ltd. This time she enlisted the help of colleagues as well as her family.
Husband and wife consultant anaesthetists Athmaja Thottungal and Velliyottillom Parameshwaran, and consultant urologist Nitin Shrotri and his wife Keyuri Shrotri, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, helped out by taking on the roles of relatives who have gathered together to celebrate the Indian festival of Oman.
The song, Oru London Sadya, celebrates the feast that marks the festival, and the video follows the stresses and strains of a family get-together.
Rema said: “Like our first single, this is about food that reminds us of home.
“Sadya is the quintessential grand vegetarian feast that is the focal point of all celebrations, especially Onam which is celebrated in every home in Kerala.
“The song is a hilarious take on a London family Onam get-together with all the usual suspects including a harassed and stressed wife, a husband who is trying his best to pacify her, a perpetually unhappy and critical sister in law, two young lovebirds and a grandfather who is the head of the family.”
The lyrics were written by Rema’s mum, Dr Rohini Iyer, and the music was composed by Rema.
She said: “It was wonderful to be able to make the video with a little help from my friends and I hope people enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed recording it.”
She is encouraging people who enjoy it to make a donation to Pallium India, a voluntary organisation delivering palliative and end-of-life care to terminally ill people in Kerala. It trains healthcare professionals from all over the country in palliative care so it can be accessed by everyone regardless of their financial or social status.
To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rema-iyer-2 and for more information on Pallium India visit https://palliumindia.org