PeopleShores hosts concert, opens clinic
Clarksdale, PeopleShores and the children of this community have something to celebrate and they did last weekend.
PeopleShores hosted a concert of Indian/Jazz music on Friday and topped it off Saturday with the opening of their new clinic for women and children.
On Friday, PeopleShores and the Clarksdale Chamber of Commerce, hosted a concert featuring a fusion of Indian music and Jazz.
“Music is the universal language and I hope we can speak and offer the music of India in a way this audience can understand,” said Uppalapu Rajesh, a classical Indian mandolin player. “Americans tend to embrace good music and a good performance no matter the style or instrument.”
Rajesh wowed the crowd with high speed riffs that would make any blues musician proud.
Aditya Kalyanpur played the tabla, a pair of drums similar to bongos, but much more mellow.
Both Rajesh and Kalyanpur are highly recognized on the sub-continent and anywhere Indian music is played.
George Brooks, a New York jazz musician with an ear for Indian music, offered the crowd more recognizable sounds with his saxophone.
“I have heard about Clarksdale all my life and of course the blues were made for a saxophone,” said Brooks. “I am honored to be in Clarksdale and to get the opportunity to play with these two men.”
The crowd also enjoyed a meal with the musicians and PeopleShores employees.
Clinic opens
PeopleShores opened its women and children’s clinic Saturday with employees from the social enterprise technology side of the company getting a chance to practice the company’s mantra – “Love All, Serve All.”
The event saw doctors taking patients and the clinic explaining to the community what it is all about and how the free clinic will treat women and children.
“We had 28 people come in,” said Murali Vullaganti, CEO and Founder of People Shores. “The clinic’s goal is to invite and engage the community. I was pleased our employees responded and helped so much with this event.”
Vullaganti said the clinic is still working out details and its hours of operation hinge on the availability of doctors to serve in Clarksdale.
“We will probably be open four hours a week initially, until we develop a patient base and doctors establish their hours,” said Vullaganti. “The clinic will grow and expand. Our focus is women and children and specifically children with heart problems. At this point if we find a child with a serious heart problem that needs surgery we will work to fly them to India where our hospitals there can treat them.”
Vullaganti stressed the PeopleShores clinic is not in competition with local doctors.
“We are a free clinic but if you have insurance or can pay, we send you to a local doctor,” said Vullaganti. “We are meeting with local doctors and community leaders to explain what we do and get input from them.”
Vullaganti said the clinic is not making appointments and women and children need to come by the facility at 1540 DeSoto Avenue and fill out paperwork.
