When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And instead of pressing the brakes at a time when the live music industry is changing gears to adapt to the pandemic, vocalist Shubha Mudgal and tabla maestro Aneesh Pradhan have pushed the pedal to help affected artistes. The duo has started a venture called Gift a Concert; taken part in a protest festival called Justice Rocks; and in the meantime, even picked up accolades for a cross-border musical collaboration, Bridge of Dreams. Here, they open up about these projects and emphasise how music can be used to raise a voice against oppression. Edited excerpts from an interview:

What is the nature of the work that you do with Gift a Concert?