My Brother Ankur Mukherjee needs your help to fight back his stroke

Hi,

My name is Paroma and I am raising funds for my brother Ankur Mukherjee, who is undergoing treatment at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (Mumbai). Ankur suffered a left middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke that was Covid-19 induced and was in the ICU in an induced coma since the night of April 6.

A decompressive craniectomy surgery has already been done on his skull, but the left side of his brain is still swollen and the right part of his body has been affected significantly. Since he did not have health insurance, we have done whatever we could do meet the expenses so far, which have been upwards of 25 lakhs just for a period of 10 days as yet. Ankur will be in the hospital for at least 3 more weeks, and then if things go well, he will have to undergo intensive neuro-rehabilitation for 6 months. We lost our father in January this year to cancer and there was significant expenditure even back then. It is heartbreaking to see my brother in the same ICU ward as my father, exactly three months later. My mother is also currently Covid-19 positive and recovering by herself alone in our house.

For those who don't know Ankur outside of his music fraternity, he is undoubtedly the country's finest guitarist (entirely self taught) and a very accomplished music arranger/guitar sound designer and original composer, having recorded as a sessions guitarist on films and albums such as Border (his first film in his early twenties), Piya Basanti with Ustad Sultan Khan & Chitra (he's a lefty but recorded the whole album right handed!), Dev D, Eklavya, Omkara, Parineeta, Raajneeti, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, Lootera, Barfi, Andhadhun, Rangoon, most ads that you've seen on television, Coke Studio with Shantanu Moitra, Kya Khayal Hai (on The Dewarists with Swanand Kirkire, Zeb & Haniya), Lipstick Under My Burkha, Pink, an original acoustic arrangement and conduction for Shreya Ghoshal's session on Coke Studio a couple of years ago, Gulabo Sitabo, guitars on Afsos (a mini tv series, 2020) and several others.

He's a very gifted strings player, who also plays and records with the Bolivian charango, the Turkish instrument Bağlama/ Saz, the mandolin, ukulele, and also the keyboards. He was a huge jazz enthusiast-- one of his favourite albums was Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue," and for some time he was also part of a Steely Dan cover outfit with close friends.

He was always a huge supporter and promoter of young talent, and since the past few years, he was helping young musicians and singers by accompanying them on their sets at various Open Mics in Mumbai without charging any fee -- and as a token of support and appreciation for young talent. He's been known for his generosity in the industry for nearly two and a half decades, and he needs all your support now.

The family has done all it can to pay for the treatment but we need approximately Rs.7000000 more to take care of the upcoming medical expenses, surgeries and then rehabilitation. He still has two surgical procedures pending that are scheduled in the next couple of months once he's out of the ICU, regains consciousness and moved to the stroke unit.

As the amount required is huge, I request you to kindly contribute towards the treatment and help during this time of need.

Please help us raise this amount by clicking on the donate button and sharing this page with your friends and family.

We are immensely grateful for your help and wishes.

Thank you.

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