Music Composer Kanniks Kannikeswaran Releases Video to Highlight Need for Preservation of Water Bodies

“Rivers of India,” a music video created by Indian American music composer Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran, was released on Earth Day April 22. (Facebook photo)

India-West Staff Reporter

Renowned Indian American music composer Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran’s latest work is a music video that appreciates water resources and raises awareness about the importance of preserving them.

Titled “Rivers of India,” the video, released on Earth Day April 22 by the International Center for Clean Water at IIT Madras, features musical celebrities Bombay Jayashri, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Amrit Ramnath and Rishith Desikan. The production is by Sai Shravanam.

The video is a tribute to the timeless spirit of India that literally accords a revered status to the life sustaining water bodies. The music strings together the names of rivers across India and also includes an iconic line from the Tamil classic, “Silappathikaram.”

“It is important to call out the rivers by name,” said Kannikeswaran, who conceived and created the video and is a graduate of IIT Madras. “We are inheritors of a legacy that held water resources in the highest regard.”

The video tells the story of the growing dependency of an increasing population on rivers, the human exploitation of water resources and its consequences, and ends with a message of hope and a call to all to unite and work towards protecting the precious water bodies.

The music was composed just prior to the pandemic and the production commenced in September 2020. It was a collaborative process, with the artists, including some Indian Americans from the San Francisco Bay Area, Calif., coming together virtually to create the video.

“The Center for Clean Water hopes that the video will create the much-needed awareness and prompt global audiences to visit our website and figure out how they can be a part of the solution,” said Nandakumar, CEO of ICCW.

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kannikeswaran is known for his pioneering work in raga-based choral/orchestral music. All of his productions are consistent with his vision of building bridges across communities and celebrating the message of the interconnectedness of the world.

He is the recipient of several awards, including McKnight Residency, and Ohio Heritage Fellowship.

Watch the video here: