Clarion call for safety in late model Sonika’s name

“Memories warm you up from inside. They also tear you apart”
— Haruki Murakami
It felt as if Sonika Chauhan, or Sonu to her friends and family, was right amidst the motley crowd that converged at

Tollygunge Club

on Wednesday. As her face beamed from a giant frame in the backdrop, those present at the venue remembered the late model on her 28th birthday.
Her parents, Sharon and Vijay Singh, addressed the gathering, thanking everyone who stood by their side during the most difficult phase of their lives after Sonika’s death in a car crash on April 29. Subtly hinting at Vikram Chatterjee’s arrest in connection with the case, Vijay said, “Today, on our beloved daughter’s birthday, we can reaffirm our faith in truth. We can reaffirm our belief that justice will always prevail. We thank the Kolkata Police for quietly but efficiently doing their job. To keep alive the love and madness that Sonika was, we launch the Sonika Chauhan 27 Foundation. The foundation will touch the lives of many Sonikas in Kolkata who want to live their dreams.”
Top city clubs also joined hands to launch a campaign, Designated Driver, in partnership with the foundation. The campaign will help create that sense of responsibility behind the wheel, the care that young people or any of us must take while partying into the night and the importance of a designated driver. A designated driver is a person who abstains from drinking on a social occasion in order to drive his or her companions safely home.
Talking about this, Anil Mukerji, CEO of Tolly Club, said, “This is a collective effort to bring in a sense of responsibility without diluting the element of fun and freedom of action.”
Two videos highlighting Sonika’s achievements apart from the beautiful moments she spent with her loved ones were shown at the event. Those closely associated with Sonika were also present to pay their respects, including Shaheb Bhattacherjee, Anindya Chatterjee, Tina Mukherjee and

Diti Saha

, among others. And with moist eyes hidden behind a smile, everyone relived their memories through videos.
“Our Sonu lives on through all of you,” said Vijay, as a special birthday cake was cut on the occasion.