Musician Sunil Koshy releases protest song 'Datey Raho' in support of student demonstrations

The high-energy ‘Datey Raho’ was composed and released within 24 hours

Published - July 29, 2026 04:29 pm IST

By Dhrithi Vijay

Techie-turned-musician and entrepreneur Sunil Koshy has released a new song titled ‘Datey Raho’, created in collaboration with lyricist Sahil Sultanpuri and guitarist Rijush Aluva. The track was composed during the student protest in New Delhi that led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Koshy dedicates the song to the movement.

“It is not political. It is for the youth, and for our society, let nothing come in their way,” Koshy said.

He believes every citizen has a responsibility to oppose injustice. “I want students to think for themselves,” he added, noting that the song was written in just 24 hours — a personal record.

Intended to be motivational, ‘Datey Raho’ is a high-energy solo featuring electric guitar and harmony. It was released alongside a music video that includes visuals from the protests.

“I feel a song can do what a speech or somebody advising you, cannot do. I believe it has the power to make people think,” Koshy said, explaining that the music reflects the content of the song.

Although Koshy is more accustomed to singing in Malayalam and Kannada, he chose to sing in Hindi “because of its national reach.”

The musician said he has always been motivated to write about social issues. In the past, he has written songs to raise awareness about mental health and feminist causes. Speaking on the protests, he remarked, “There’s so much unrest. Somewhere, I think it was building inside.” He added that he does not expect virality, only for his music to reach somebody and “make a change, however small.”

‘Datey Raho’ was released as a music video across social media platforms on July 25.