Multiple Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Ben Harper sang and played the guitar in an old church in New York while Hollywood actress and television personality Serinda Swan skydived 18,000ft in Canada to raise money for a corner of Kalighat fighting human trafficking. Urmi Basu, founder of the Kalighat-based NGO New Light that strives to protect women and children in red-light areas, had no inkling when she met Ben for the first time some years ago in Barcelona that the American celebrity would one day help her cause in every way possible.

The seeds of mutual admiration were sown when Ben’s partner, actress-producer Jaclyn Matfus, came for voluntary work at New Light four years ago. The trip to Calcutta, Jaclyn recalled, produced a “strong connection with Urmi and the children of New Light”. “I felt an immediate need for attention to the boys. I spent Christmas and New Year with the kids and they danced to a song by Ben. I made a video of that and sent it to Ben who was very moved,” she said. The video won Ben’s heart. “The video clip of the New Light girls dancing to my song She’s Got Kick… I was inspired to learn more,” he said.

Then in May 2013, Urmi got a chance to attend Ben’s 20th anniversary concert in California. “Spending time backstage with him and his mother, who is also a musician, was very special. He gave a shout-out to New Light at the concert and dedicated a song,” she said. Ben, who won his third Grammy this year for the Best Blues album (Get Up!), recalled: “And from the moment I met Urmi I knew I wanted to be involved in helping New Light.”

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