Mukhtiyar Ali
Mukhtiyar Ali, a renowned folk singer from Bikaner, Rajasthan is well known for bringing together the Rajasthani folk tradition, classical music and the poetry of Kabir, Mira and Sufi poets such as Bulleh Shah. Mukhtiyar made his international debut in July 2007. Since then, he has performed in Belgium, Sweden, China, Canada, Germany and France. The range of his versatile vocal style is surprisingly wide and it also briefly touches upon popular Bollywood music (Tashan 2008, Bombay Summer 2008, Kathai 2010 and Delhi in a Day 2011).
Sushmita Banerjee
Vidushi Sushmita Banerjee is one of the most distinguished Kathak exponents in
India. She started her training at the age of four in the Lucknow Gharana and has
matured into an artiste who has performed all over Europe, Africa, North America, South-East Asia and India.
She has established centers for teaching Kathak in Kolkata, Kerala and Geneva. She trained under Guru Pandit
Ramnarayan Mishra, Shrimati Maya Chatterjee and Pandit Vijay Shankar. She helped revive the Katha Shaili of
Kathak under the tutelage of Pandit Birju Maharaj. She is also a distinguished choreographer.
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Dr.Karni Pal Bhati
Dr. Karni Pal Bhati is an Associate Professor of English studies at Furman University, South Carolina. He had taught for several years at a college and a university in India and obtained additional graduate degrees in the US before he began teaching at Furman. His courses, as he puts it, tend to have a broadly global focus, and the methodology he adopts in approaching texts can be described as a brick-layer’s mix aimed at understanding the processes of making meaning by joining the conversations of other scholars in various disciplinary discourses. He teaches texts in English, and in translation, and do both creative and scholarly work, including translating literary texts. He is Co-Chair of the interdisciplinary minor in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, and has served as co-convenor of the 10th ACS Women's & Gender Studies Conference, April 2014. The most notable of his publications include “On Another Ground” (book of poems), "The alter-native rationality of refusing to be saved,", “Art as Emancipation, or Truth and Community in Heidegger's Conception of Art," and international review titles such as of ‘The Cambridge Introduction to Edward Said, in College Literature’, 2012.
Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar
Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, son of the late Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar, and the nephew of the late Ustad N. Zahiruddin Dagar, is a descendant of the legendary Haridas Dagar, Tansen's teacher. Having trained directly under the tutelage of his father, and younger uncle, he received further instructions from his grand uncle, Ustad A. Rahim Uddin Dagar, his elder uncle, Ustad Aminuddin Dagar, Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, Ustad Rahim Fahim Uddin Dagar and Ustad H. Sayeeduddin Dagar, all of whom are great exponents of Dhrupad singing. Wasifuddin Dagar began his public career in 1989. His first major recording were in Switzerland, India and Japan, in 1992. He has since recorded in Switzerland, India, and America with major recording labels. He has toured North America performing dhrupad solo since 2000. He has also given memorable performances at the UN, the Smithsonian Institutions, Yale, the City of Chicago, University of Washington, Seattle, Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles, and several other prestigious venues.
Purva Dhanashree
Purva Dhanashree is one of the most critically acclaimed contemporary Bharatanatyam Dancers in the country. She features among the youngest “A-Top” Grade Artiste of Doordarshan. Trained by masters such as Guru Sikkil Ramaswamy Pillai, and Padmabhushan Smt. Swapnasundari. She has won the prestigious Dr. MGR Award and the title of “Nithyasree” by the Sarigamapadhani Foundation, Chennai. Purva Dhanashree is an empaneled artiste of Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Government of India. She has also been conferred with the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for Vilasini Natyam by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2009.
Jagruti Dutta
Jagruti Dutta received her diploma in Sculpture from Faculty of Fine Arts, Bar. She won the prestigious Gujarat Lalit Kala award in 1992. Scholarships won by her include national scholarship from H.R.D. Delhi in 1996, Merit Scholarship from faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University.She did a Metal Casting workshop which was organized by the West Zone Cultural Center in 1994. Her first solo show was at the M. S. University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda in 2010. Her group shows include those given at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda in 1991, 1993, 96, 99, 2003, at the West Zone Cultural Center, Udaipur in 1993. She also held exhibitions at the Gujarat Lalit Kala Academy in 1992 and 1995, and at the Govt. of West Bengal Cultural Center in 1994.
Sanchayan Ghosh
Sanchayan Ghosh obtained his degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1995 and Masters in Fine Art-1997 from Kala Bhavan,Visva Bharati University, and currently works as an Associate Professor, Department of Painting, Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati University,Santiniketan. His scholastic interest revolves around site-specific art and he has done extensive work in space designing for experimental and contemporary theatre. With his early inspirations from community ritual events in Santniketan and his workshop experience with Third theatre exponent Badal Sirkar he involves community based art activity where he tries to engage in specific community situations through workshops, which then gets transformed into an interactive/participatory activity. Ghosh has over the years been exploring spaces between institution and pedagogy and succeeded in extending art and performance from institutional spaces to public situations. The most notable of his projects include: Incomplete Circles: Invisible Voices and Merge Emerge
Ramana Gogula
Ramana Gogula is a famous Indian singer, songwriter, musician and composer. He has a significant contribution in Telegu film music. His notable hits include Thammudu, Adavilo Anna, Premante Idera, Badri and Yuvaraju. Besides telegu movies he has given music to Kannada and Tamil movies also. He formed his own rock and roll band at Vizag at the age of 17. Since then, he has traveled around the world as software professional and music director. (Courtsy : Wikipedia)
Shubhra Gupta
Shubhra Gupta is a well-known film critic and a senior columnist at "The Indian Express". She initially worked in a weekly television column in "Sunday". She wrote for the Ananda Bazaar (ABP) group in 1989 and has written many articles on cinema. In 1992 she began writing the weekly movie column at "The Indian Express" which has run without a break since then. Gupta looks at the multiple aspects of the film industry, in India and around the globe. She won the Ramnath Goenka award for Best Writing on Film in 2012.
Ananth Maruthi and Gowra Hari
Brothers Ananth Maruthi and Gowra Hari Perla are the artists behind one of the few manga books from India, ‘Ka-Kaa: The Shaman Trials’. Ananth Maruthi creator, writer and art director is a Mechanical engineer (B.E)by education from PESIT Karnataka and Gowra Hari artist, designer and lead is a professional artist who has Master degree in Fine Arts from HCU TELANGANA. They have formed "Kapi workshop" which is an upcoming graphic novel studio based in Andhra Pradesh. The studios main focus is manga style graphic novels and game designs. From 2013, the year it was commenced to till date the workshop has produces numerous mangas and works for games Together they are proud to say that the studio has produced India's first manga called "KAKAA THE SHAMAN TRIALS" in 2014 Bengaluru comic Con and is nominated for the best pencils award.
Prithi Kahar
Priti Kahar, an accomplished artist sculptor, completed her formal education in fine arts from M.S. University, Vadodara (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture, 2003; Masters of Fine Arts in Sculpture, 2005). Her subsequent work through the years has merited prestigious awards such as the Shilpadhara award from the 45th Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy, Ahmedabad (2005) and the ‘Artist in Residence’ award at Kashi Visual Art, Kerala (2007). She has toured extensively through the country and has over fifty successful exhibitions, workshops and lecture sessions to her credit. Recently, she has also been recognized internationally with her appearance at SWAB, Barcelona 2014, International Contemporary Art Fair in Spain.
Yuka Kataoka
Yuka Shori has learnt Flamenco from her time at SFC Spanish dance group in Keio University in Japan from 2006 to 2010. From early on, she has had several national stage experiences conducted by FLESPON (National Student Flamenco Federation). As a trainee, she completed professional teacher training course of “Introduction to Basic Flamenco” conducted by Alegria Dance School in Japan on May 27th, 2016.
Timothy Marthand
Timothy Marthand, a western classical pianist, a self-avowed purist of the arts, Timothy believes that his passion for classical music has given him what a formal education could not – dedication, discipline, and eloquence. Timothy sought solace in music, and the quest for excellence. Timothy says, it is a never ending endeavour. This journey took him to Singapore. From there he was off to Texas Christian University in USA where he lived for seven years. He later found himself in Belgium after which he shifted base to Rome where he learnt music for around five years. Finally in 2004, he was accepted at the prestigious International Piano Academy by the picturesque Lake Como in Italy. From playing solo across Europe before audiences well acquainted with the nuances of western classical music in Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Italy and Germany, to the Americas, Timothy says that every concert he played at threw at him different sets of challenges. (Courtsy : TOI)
Arko Mukhaerjee
"Formally trained in Indian classical music from his parents, Arko is equally versatile with European, African, Middle – eastern, American and Indian folk songs along with blues, soul and several tribal music forms from India and Bengal in particular, which is what gives all his collaborations and projects, a unique blend of the tradition and the modern. He sings in more than 15 different languages and has been travelling all over Europe, collaborating with several other musicians in France, England and Germany and has played in eminent music festivals in Europe. During his time in France for the past 4 years, Arko has been playing with French folk and gypsy jazz musicians and African traditional artists. As a result of his love and passion for the blues, he is one of the very few Indian artists to have been programmed for blues festivals in France
Anuradha Naik
Anuradha Naik is a conservation architect and architectural historian from Hyderabad. She received her degree in architecture at Edinburgh University in Scotland, which she followed up with further international training in conservation of ancient buildings. She was associated with the project coordination for the City Museum, Chowmahalla Palace, with initiatives around Mehbook Chowk, Paigah Tombs, the Fish Market and Mahbubia Girls School. She is currently working with numerous other conservation and architectural history research projects in Hyderabad.
Serish Nanisetti
Serish Nanisetti is a senior journalist, and currently the City Editor of The Hindu newspaper in Hyderabad city. He has been in the field of journalism for nearly 25 years. He is a keen heritage enthusiast, regularly contributing articles to the newspaper about places of historical significance in Hyderabad.
Jayachandran Palazhy
Jayachandran Palazhy was trained extensively in Bharatanatyam, Kathakali and Kalaripayattu, and his quest for a suitable medium for self-expression, and urge for innovation led him to the launch of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in Bengaluru in 1992. ‘Movement’ remains at the centre of Palazhy’s artistic register upon which he can then be seen to model the syntax and structure of the language. He has been involved in several research and educational projects including ‘Teaching Methodology in Indian Performing Arts’. A collaborative effort with various educational institutes explored the feasibility of introducing movement, music and visual arts in the curriculum. Attakkalari also launched a diploma course in 2006. Palazhy’s teaching methodology aims at aiding non-linear and fragmented narratives, and hence is designed to exposes students to the judicious use of mixed media – bodily movement, film, sound, light, plastic arts, digital arts and so on.
Vasu Primlani
Vasu Primlani is a leading International Stand up Comedian, business professional and social entrepreneur. She has performed in numerous shows across the world. She has been a visiting lecturer at IIT Delhi, XIMB, the University of Michigan, University of Southern California, University of California Barkley and Bennett College of women. She has received many prestigious awards like Nari Sakti Award, People's Green Award, Under 35 Business Women (World Business Magazine London), Stand On A Better World Award (Environment Category Mannington) and many more.
MK Raina
Maharaj Krishna Raina, one of the best known theatre actors and directors, graduated from National School of Drama in 1970 with the Best Actor award. He has produced over 130 plays in 13 languages. He received the Sanskriti Samman in 1980, the Sahitya Kala Parishad Award in 1981, Best Director of the year by West Bengal Government 1982, the Best Director’s award of Punjabi Akademi, Delhi in 1987. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1995 and the Swarna Padak from Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir in 1996 for his contribution to Indian Theater. He was also awarded one of India’s highest theatre awards, the B.V. Karanth award for lifetime achievement in 2007.
Mani Rao
Mani Rao (born 28 February 1965) is an Indian poet and independent scholar, writing in English.Author of nine poetry collections, two books in translation from Sanskrit including Kalidasa's works and a translation of the Bhagavad Gita as a poem, and an anthropological study of mantra-sadhana. Her poems have been published in famous literary journals including Fulcrum, Wasafiri, Meanjin, Washington Square, West Coast Line, Tinfish. She was a Visiting Fellow at the IowaInternational Writing Program in 2005 and 2009. She was a co-founder of OutLoud, a regular poetry-reading gathering in Hong Kong, and contributed a poetry segment to RTHK Radio 4. She has an MFA from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and a PhD in Religious Studies from Duke University. Rao worked in advertising and television from 1985 to 2004, and was Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Star (TV) Group Ltd., based in Hong Kong. (Courtesy : Wikipedia)
Anuradha Reddy
Mrs. Anuradha Reddy is known as a heritage activist, writer, photographer, art connoisseur and travel enthusiast from Hyderabad. She is presently Convener at INTACH Hyderabad Chapter, Co-Convener, Telangana State, Hyderabad Chapter and Core Committee Member of HSH. She has extensively toured Western Europe, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Jordan, Turkey, USA, Mexico, Tanzania and strived for protecting precincts, rock formations, monuments and vernacular architectures. Besides, she also visited Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Argentina, Burma, Indonesia, South Africa, Iran, Peru, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Egypt for photo documentation. She has recently authored a book on "Aviation in the Hyderabad Dominions", which was released by Air Vice-Marshal H.P.S.Sidhu, Commandant, College of Defence Management.
Mamata Reddy
A 52-year-old Maths graduate turned Textile designer, Mamata Reddy dedicated herself to the revival of the traditional hand painted Kalamkari and other declining crafts forms since over two decades. She hails from a modest, traditional and yet enterprising family in Tirupati, the world famous temple town, in Chittore district of Andhra Pradesh. A compassionate and down to earth individual, untouched by her success, Persistent in pursuing the objective that is closest to her heart, Mamata owes her success to the undaunted support of her family and well-wishers besides the renewed faith and spirit of the traditional artisan community.
Vishwanath Reddy
Vishwanath from Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh is known for his mastery of the Kalamkari craft. He was born into a family of artists. At the age of 23, after nine months of painstaking work, he recreated the Ramayana on two metres of cloth to bag an award. He is associated with a workshop with about 40 artisans who work with traditional designs, improving techniques, using the prints differently - from just wall hangings, diversifying into dupattas, saris, fabric patches and blouses. He won the National Award in 2008.
Shalinee Kumari
Shalinee Kumari is an artist from Mithila, Bihar. As one of the most promising and dynamic practitioner of the Madhubani style of painting, she re-interprets the grammar of the traditional framework of Mithila folk paintings in a modern context. She pursued a postgraduate degree in Geography from a University in the district of Darbhanga. Her first solo show was conducted at Frey Norris Gallery in San Francisco, U.S. Responding to an array of modern day issues such as global warming, terrorism and sexual harassment of women, etc. the series proved a truly eclectic mix of tradition and individual talent.
Tomasz Sobecki
Tomasz Sobecki began his career in Fine art photography 1981, taking part in numerous exhibitions through the following years all over the world - England, Switzerland, Finland, USA, Belgium, Germany, Japan and Venezuela. His most known photo series include “Shape and Light” (1980 – 1985), “Gothic Stained Glass” (1985 – 1986), “Shape of Light” (1986 – 1990), “The City of Yesterday” (2002). He also won prestigious art grants from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1990), Polish Ministry of Culture and Art (1991 - 1993). In 2012 he began his higher academic career with the work “The Idea of Pyramids” at the Cinematography Department of the National Lodz Film School which conferred the doctorate degree in 2013. He has given academic lectures on photography at Polish universities and high schools in Torun, Lodz (also in English) and Bydgoszcz.
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S. Sridharan
The course is taught by Sri S. Sridharan, one of the most eminent Yoga teachers associated with the celebrated Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM) in Chennai. He became a student of T.K.V. Desikachar in the 1980s and learnt the nuances of Yoga in the ‘Gurukula’ style directly for over 3 decades. He has taught Yoga extensively in India and abroad, and represented India in World Yoga Festivals in China and the UK. He is also a Trustee of KYM, a member of the Executive Council of the Indian Yoga Association, a member of the Technical Committee of the Quality Council of India.
Parikshit Suri
Mr.Parikshit Suri is an experienced media professionals with a comprehensive knowledge of film, television, public relations and corporate communications. Who is also a teacher and trainer who brings to the classroom his many years of experience with a diverse range of media activities from scripting, production planning, project execution, to crew and talent identification. He has taught in Drishya Forum for Film Studies and the AISFM. He has worked as media consultant with noted film and TV production houses and TV channels and also provides consultation independently. Significant designations held by him are senior executive producer, associate /assistant director, co-director and translator in films, documentaries, TV serials, ad films and educational videos.
Yashoda Thakore
Dr. Yashoda Thakore is founder and teacher at the Rinda Saranya Kuchipudi Dance Academy since 1997. She is also a guest Faculty at the Department of Dance, University of Hyderabad. Yashoda Thakore earned a Doctoral degree for a thesis on 'The Interrelationship Between Yoga and Indian Classical Dance with Special emphasis on Kuchipudi' after an intensive research of six years, to the Department of Dance, University of Hyderabad in 2007.She is a Co-author of the Translation of Nritta Ratnavali, a 13th Century Sanskrit Text to English with Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao. She has also a recipient of Senior Fellowship from Department of Culture, Government of India.
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Padmashri Prahlad Tipaniya
Prahlad Tipaniya is considered a virtuoso in Kabir singing in the Indian folk music tradition. His performances provide a delightful mix of the singing and explanation of Kabir bhajans in the Malwi folk style from Madhya Pradesh. Prahlad Tipaniya has given memorable performances in both India and abroad. His music has been aired on All India Radio stations in Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Patna, Lucknow and Kanpur. Several awards, including the Padma Shree have been bestowed upon him in recognition of his work. (Courtesy : Wikipedia)
Sanu John Varughese
Sanu John Varghese, a well acclaimed cinematographer, graduated from College of Fine Arts Thiruvananthapuram and went on to join the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication. He began his career as a technician in DD News. He worked in commercials and documentaries before he came to work for Hindi and Malayalam films. He has done a little over 600 television commercials. His major ventures as a cinematographer include films like “Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon” (2003), “Karthik Calling Karthik” (2010), “Elektra” (2010), “Vishwaroopam” (2013), “Wazir” (2016). (Content Courtesy : Wikipedia).
Shri ‘Violin’ Vasudevan
Mr. DVK Vasudevan is a famous violinist trained in both Carnatic and Western classical music. He is a music researcher in University of Mysore, an experienced music teacher and winner of Outstanding Artists Research Fellowship, Rashtrapati Award, Artists Youth Award, Samaikya Bharat Gaurav Puraskar and many more. He is also the cultural coordinator, visiting faculty at University of Hyderabad. He is also associated with many more other NGO's working for the development of inmates at correctionals.