Kolkata, Jan 10 (IANS): Popular musicians John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Ganesh Rajagopalan and V. Selvaganesh will perform in Kolkata later this month and raise funds for supporting the art of handcrafted musical instruments.

"When I first bore the thought of forming our band Shakti, one of the core intentions was to touch as many lives and hearts as possible. It feels worthwhile to associate with a brand that has been a pioneer of music with purpose. 100 Pipers 'Play for a Cause' leverages the power of music to give it back to the society by creating awareness about various social causes," said McLaughlin.

"With Shakti 2020 and 100 Pipers Play For A Cause coming together in Kolkata on 14th January, we have joined hands for supporting the highly skilled albeit struggling art of making handcrafted musical instruments," he added.

Commenting on the association, Zakir Hussain said: "The essence of music is rooted in the unison of multiple sounds giving birth to a melody. I comprehend that 100 Pipers ‘Play for a Cause' takes from the similar idea of uniting music from across the globe to lead a positive change in the society."

Shankar Mahadevan added: "Music is a medium to connect with everyone irrespective of where they come from and it has its origin rooted in a quest for change. Therefore, I am influenced with the idea of leveraging the platform to draw people's attention towards issues that concern us."

"I am really excited about the collaboration of our band Shakti with 100 Pipers ‘Play for a Cause' for the upcoming event in Kolkata."