Organised by Cinemaya, Asavari and Centre for Art Without Frontiers, the benefit concert and art show brought together painters, performing artistes, writers and intellectuals on a common platform not just to express solidarity with those fighting on the front but pay a personal tribute to the soldiers of Kargil who were laying down their lives for the country and its people.

Speaking on the occasion, a visibly aged Khushwant Singh who had to be helped onto the stage, said ``I have not the gift of song and dance. But I wish to make use ofthe occasion by giving a message to people of Pakistan. I tell them that we bear them no ill will. But their government and their army have betrayed them by sending infiltrators at Kargil. We the Indian people will not rest until the last imposter is removed from the soil. The nuisance at Kargil must end.''

These words from the author of the Train to Pakistan brought forth applause and the upsurge in the mood of the participants and audience turned the evening into one in which people were participating with their heart. And it was not just another social event with a bit of dance and song thrown in. There were other touching tributes: a lullaby to the dead son sung in Punjabi by dance critic Shanta Serbjeet Singh, a poem recited by Vinod Nagpal, a dance tribute by Uma Sharma, a dhun on the flute in Raga Desh by G S Rajan, dhrupad gayiki by Wasifuddin Dagar and a final tribute on behalf of the artists by painter Satish Gujral who had journeyed this spring in the bus toLahore.

According to Naresh Kapuria for Art Without Frontiers, some Rs 80,000 was collected from the sale of the donor cards to the concert. By Wednesday six paintings had been sold. Fifty per cent of the money from the sale of art works will go to the National Defence Fund and 50 per cent to the artist who gave their works.

Ai Watan Tere Liye

Leading films stars will participate in a cultural programme, organised to collect money for the Army Central Welfare Fund, to be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on July 10. Among the cine artistes participating in the function are Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan, Amir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Kajol, Ajay Devgun, Rani Mukherjee, Karishma Kapoor, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Alka Yagnik, Udit Naryan and others.