Abbi (Musician & Connoisseur )
The author is a senior Government functionary. He is an avid carnatic music lover and has been closely associated with musicians and musicologists. He has traveled extensively in India attending innumerable concerts. Extremely passionate about music, he has developed in-depth knowledge in the field through intense listening. His penchant for writing has made him contribute several articles of general interest in the leading dailies. Apart from music, he is also interested in other art forms. He can be reached at rajindusin@yahoo.co.in.
Khadri S. Achyuthan (Senior Journalist)
Writing comes naturally to him. Starting his career as a journalist and he joined the Indian Information Service, Government of India. In the span of more than 38 years of service, he had the opportunity to work in all the different media wings - Registrar of Newspapers, Field Publicity, All India Radio, Doordarshan, Press Information Bureau and Censor Board of India. Post retirement, he has been a visiting faculty teaching on Electronic Media at the Mangalore University, Bangalore University, Hampi Kannada University, and Karnataka University. He has penned many books, the History of Indian Space Programme in Kannada - 'Baanangaladhinda', 'Sada Santosha', Patrika Academy publication on 'Electronic Media', to name a few. Currently, his weekly column - 'Haddina Kannu' on current affairs is being published in Samyuktha Karnataka, a leading Kannada daily. He is also in the Board of the newly founded University of Folk Arts, Haveri, Karnataka.
Amith Nag(Amateur Photographer)
Amith Nag is a software engineer by profession working at Infosys, Bangalore. He took up photography as a hobby over a year ago with initial interest in shooting all possible genres. But after regularly attending classical dance recitals he built a particular interest towards the art forms so much so that today capturing the artistic moments of a performance has become a passion for him. In his own words "The reason I am attracted to dance programs is because I feel happy to be in the midst of talented people who are showcasing their skills to a larger audience. I feel happy to bring this art to an even wider audience with my photos - since art is a universally loved entity". He can be reached at amithnag@gmail.com
Deepika Rajagopalan(Caranatic Vocalist)
Deepika is an accomplished Carnatic Vocalist pursuing the art since the age of 5. She has rendered concerts extensively all over India and has been a performing artiste with the All India Radio (Delhi). An avid music lover, she teaches Carnatic Vocal to students in various parts of the US over Skype. Currently residing in New Jersey, she works as an Analyst for a Search Engine Marketing firm in Manhattan. Passionate about Carnatic Music and its technical aspects, she writes for the Music section of Kala Parva. She can be reached at deepika2284@gmail.com.
(Padmashri) Geeta Chandran (Bharatanatyam Dancer/Choreographer)
Padmashri Geeta Chandran is a celebrated dancer and choreographer whose name is synonymous with the Indian classical dance: Bharatanatyam. She began learning Bharatanatyam from the tender age of 5 years under the tutelage of Smt. Swarna Saraswathy, who hailed from the traditional Thanjavur dasi parampara. Subsequently, Geeta continued learning diverse aspects of the classical dance from a galaxy of eminent Gurus. Today she is a renowned artist who has synthesized the knowledge she received from her Gurus to imprint Bharatanatyam with her personal vision of the dance. Geeta Chandran is also Artistic Director of the Natya Vriksha Dance Company, known for the high aesthetic quality of its group presentations. + Read more.
G V Anna Rao (Convenor, Natya Swara)
Anna Rao is keen enthusiast of History,Literature, Art and Culture. He is the Convenor of Natya Swara - an informal Dance Appreciation Group intended to provide a platform for young artistes in the field of Classical Dance. He is also the Joint Secretary of Friends of Golconda, a member of Intach, Sica, BVB and Kalasagaram, and has also been associated with the Centre for Deccan Studies(Research organization headed by Dr.Vasant Kumar Bawa). He can be reached at gvannarao@gmail.com.
Harshita Mruthinti Kamath (Kuchipudi danseuse & Phd Student,Emory)
Harshita Mruthinti Kamath is a PhD candidate at the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She was awarded the Fulbright Hays Dissertation grant and spent 2009-2010 in India interviewing Kuchipudi gurus and performers under the guidance of Prof. Anuradha Jonnalagadda. She has learned Kuchipudi dance from her guru, Smt. Sasikala Penumarthi, since 1997. She can be reached at hmruthi@learnlink.emory.edu.
Kiranmayee (Bhararatanatyam danseuse)
Kiranmayee holds a degree in Engineering, in Information Technology, and is currently working with Deloitte in Hyderabad. With 8 years of dancing experience and a growing repertoire, she aspires to make dance a very important part in her life in the years to come. She enjoys art in every form that it comes in. Apart from dance, Kiranmayee also pursues painting, writing and music. She can be reached at kiran.madupu@gmail.com.
Lalitha Ravichandran (Vainika & Vocalist)
Lalitha Ravichandran, an avid carnatic music rasika is a Computer Engineer by Profession. A vainika, she continues to receive training in carnatic vocal music and the veena. Comments about the article can be sent to ravichandran.lalitha@gmail.com.
Priya Raman (Bharatanatyan danseuse)
Priya, a professional Bharatanatyam dancer, has been practicing and performing the art form for last 19 years. She is currently working as an Educational Consultant for the Times of India. With a penchant for writing she has been writing in both online and offline media for last couple of years. She is also associated with Ananya (Bangalore based nonprofit organization founded by Dr Raghavendra) where she volunteers for various art promotion programmes. She can be reached at priya.raman@kalaparva.com.
K.S.S. Raghavan (Executive Committee, Nadasurabi)
An electronics engineer by qualification, a businessman by profession and a carnatic music rasika, Raghavan is an Executive Committee member and ex-President of Nadasurabhi Cultural Association. He handles several day to day activities of Nadasurabhi. He is keenly interested in bringing innovative ideas to the organization and raising its standards to international levels. Know more about Nadasurabhi >
Pratap Antony (Founder Secretary, Hyderabad Western Music Foundation)
Pratap Antony is the Founder–Secretary of the Hyderabad Western Music Foundation. He is a Management Consultant, specializing in Marketing Communications and he is a Business and Promotion Writer (Reform Communications). He also writes on music and other random and abstract subjects as the Passive activist/Active pacifist at http://pratapantony.blogspot.com,. He can be reached at pratapantony@gmail.com.
Samana Gururaja (Classical Dancer)
Samana Gururaja, trains at the Chitkala School of Dance under P.Praveen Kumar. She completed her Rangapravesha in the year 2004 and has since performed for Government sponsored Yuva Sourabha and Every Friday dance performances supported by the ICCR, the K. Dharmambal endowment program at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and for the Ankura Festival for Young Dancers, organized by the Karnataka Nrityakala Parishat. She has completed her BA in History from New York University, USA and is currently working at a non-profit organization, Art, Resources & Teaching (A.R.T.), in Bangalore, doing research projects related to Indian history, culture and heritage.She can be reached at samana.218@gmail.com.
Samata Agrawal (Theatre Enthusiast)
Samata Agrawal is an aspiring actor. Having back-packed extensively throughout India, acting is one of the things she found resonated with her the most. "The stage is a sacred place which represents a universe of possibilities and imagination", she says. While traveling, she enjoys working with different social groups and artists.She can be reached at samata.a@gmail.com.
Santosh Srinivas (Art Enthusiast)
Santosh, a graduate from Indian School of Business(ISB, Hyderabad), works in the entrepreneurship development space. With a keen interest in promoting the art forms of the country, he created this collaborative volunteering initiative. He is thankful to his wife for introducing him to the beautiful realms of Bharatanatyam. He can be reached at santosh.srinivas@kalaparva.com.
Shalini Tripathi (Art Enthusiast)
Shalini is an avid reader and traveler,and has seen many countries. A Masters in Business Management and Bachelors in History, 'Knowing Cultures' is her area of interest. She has also been associated with ASER, Pratham - a NGO in the field of Child Education in India.
Shobha Subramanian (Classical Dancer & Singer)
Shobha Subramanian is a trained Indian Classical dancer, teacher, choreographer and singer. Awards in India and in the US include Maryland State’s Individual Artist Award (three times). Under her leadership, Jayamangala dancers have performed across the DC metro area (like Kennedy center, Smithsonian) and the east coast. In March 2007 she organized a Dance Conference in Maryland where leading artistes made academic presentations. Subramanian has collaborated with artists across genres, produced a documentary film “Rhythmic Expressions” in 2001 and recently received the Maryland Traditions Award 2008.
Smita Khadri V (Visual Art Hobbyist)
Smita Khadri V, a Quality Management Consultant by profession, has a keen interest in all forms of art and their significance and impact in the wholesome growth of the society. Loves traveling and collecting artifacts, and paints as a hobby. She can be reached at venkatesh.smitha@gmail.com.
Sumita Mitra(Classical & Rabindra Sangeet Vocalist)
Sumita is a recent college graduate in International Development Studies and Environmental Economics and Policy. For the last year she has been working with a non-profit organization in rural Rajasthan through an organization called Indicorps. Her project explored the use of performing arts to create social change in the village. She has always been a lover of arts and is trained in Hindustani classical and Rabrindra Sangeet vocal music. She can be reached at smitra215@gmail.com.
Sunilkumar Nair(Founder & Former Editor, The Malayali Wings)
Sunilkumar Nair, an ardent art lover, is the Founder of ‘The Malayali Wings’, a monthly electronic magazine being published by ‘Malayali Friends’ Group’. He works with Press Trust of India at its head quarter in Delhi and writes articles on Indian arts and crafts. He is an active worker in a social organization viz., ‘Friends for Restoration of National Values’ which fights against corruption and has interest in arts, History and Literature. He can be reached at sunil.nair@kalaparva.com.
Veena Basavarajaiah(Contemporary Dancer)
Veena Basavarajaiah is an young acclaimed contemporary solo artiste of India. She has also had the privilege of working with renowned Contemporary dance companies and has performed on various platforms across UK and Europe. A recipient of Special Mention Young Achievers Award in 2007 and also an empaneled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She is also a free lancer working with various dance companies. Know more about her >
The author is a senior Government functionary. He is an avid carnatic music lover and has been closely associated with musicians and musicologists. He has traveled extensively in India attending innumerable concerts. Extremely passionate about music, he has developed in-depth knowledge in the field through intense listening. His penchant for writing has made him contribute several articles of general interest in the leading dailies. Apart from music, he is also interested in other art forms. He can be reached at rajindusin@yahoo.co.in.
Khadri S. Achyuthan (Senior Journalist)
Writing comes naturally to him. Starting his career as a journalist and he joined the Indian Information Service, Government of India. In the span of more than 38 years of service, he had the opportunity to work in all the different media wings - Registrar of Newspapers, Field Publicity, All India Radio, Doordarshan, Press Information Bureau and Censor Board of India. Post retirement, he has been a visiting faculty teaching on Electronic Media at the Mangalore University, Bangalore University, Hampi Kannada University, and Karnataka University. He has penned many books, the History of Indian Space Programme in Kannada - 'Baanangaladhinda', 'Sada Santosha', Patrika Academy publication on 'Electronic Media', to name a few. Currently, his weekly column - 'Haddina Kannu' on current affairs is being published in Samyuktha Karnataka, a leading Kannada daily. He is also in the Board of the newly founded University of Folk Arts, Haveri, Karnataka.
Amith Nag(Amateur Photographer)
Amith Nag is a software engineer by profession working at Infosys, Bangalore. He took up photography as a hobby over a year ago with initial interest in shooting all possible genres. But after regularly attending classical dance recitals he built a particular interest towards the art forms so much so that today capturing the artistic moments of a performance has become a passion for him. In his own words "The reason I am attracted to dance programs is because I feel happy to be in the midst of talented people who are showcasing their skills to a larger audience. I feel happy to bring this art to an even wider audience with my photos - since art is a universally loved entity". He can be reached at amithnag@gmail.com
Deepika Rajagopalan(Caranatic Vocalist)
Deepika is an accomplished Carnatic Vocalist pursuing the art since the age of 5. She has rendered concerts extensively all over India and has been a performing artiste with the All India Radio (Delhi). An avid music lover, she teaches Carnatic Vocal to students in various parts of the US over Skype. Currently residing in New Jersey, she works as an Analyst for a Search Engine Marketing firm in Manhattan. Passionate about Carnatic Music and its technical aspects, she writes for the Music section of Kala Parva. She can be reached at deepika2284@gmail.com.
(Padmashri) Geeta Chandran (Bharatanatyam Dancer/Choreographer)
Padmashri Geeta Chandran is a celebrated dancer and choreographer whose name is synonymous with the Indian classical dance: Bharatanatyam. She began learning Bharatanatyam from the tender age of 5 years under the tutelage of Smt. Swarna Saraswathy, who hailed from the traditional Thanjavur dasi parampara. Subsequently, Geeta continued learning diverse aspects of the classical dance from a galaxy of eminent Gurus. Today she is a renowned artist who has synthesized the knowledge she received from her Gurus to imprint Bharatanatyam with her personal vision of the dance. Geeta Chandran is also Artistic Director of the Natya Vriksha Dance Company, known for the high aesthetic quality of its group presentations. + Read more.
G V Anna Rao (Convenor, Natya Swara)
Anna Rao is keen enthusiast of History,Literature, Art and Culture. He is the Convenor of Natya Swara - an informal Dance Appreciation Group intended to provide a platform for young artistes in the field of Classical Dance. He is also the Joint Secretary of Friends of Golconda, a member of Intach, Sica, BVB and Kalasagaram, and has also been associated with the Centre for Deccan Studies(Research organization headed by Dr.Vasant Kumar Bawa). He can be reached at gvannarao@gmail.com.
Harshita Mruthinti Kamath (Kuchipudi danseuse & Phd Student,Emory)
Harshita Mruthinti Kamath is a PhD candidate at the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She was awarded the Fulbright Hays Dissertation grant and spent 2009-2010 in India interviewing Kuchipudi gurus and performers under the guidance of Prof. Anuradha Jonnalagadda. She has learned Kuchipudi dance from her guru, Smt. Sasikala Penumarthi, since 1997. She can be reached at hmruthi@learnlink.emory.edu.
Kiranmayee (Bhararatanatyam danseuse)
Kiranmayee holds a degree in Engineering, in Information Technology, and is currently working with Deloitte in Hyderabad. With 8 years of dancing experience and a growing repertoire, she aspires to make dance a very important part in her life in the years to come. She enjoys art in every form that it comes in. Apart from dance, Kiranmayee also pursues painting, writing and music. She can be reached at kiran.madupu@gmail.com.
Lalitha Ravichandran (Vainika & Vocalist)
Lalitha Ravichandran, an avid carnatic music rasika is a Computer Engineer by Profession. A vainika, she continues to receive training in carnatic vocal music and the veena. Comments about the article can be sent to ravichandran.lalitha@gmail.com.
Priya Raman (Bharatanatyan danseuse)
Priya, a professional Bharatanatyam dancer, has been practicing and performing the art form for last 19 years. She is currently working as an Educational Consultant for the Times of India. With a penchant for writing she has been writing in both online and offline media for last couple of years. She is also associated with Ananya (Bangalore based nonprofit organization founded by Dr Raghavendra) where she volunteers for various art promotion programmes. She can be reached at priya.raman@kalaparva.com.
K.S.S. Raghavan (Executive Committee, Nadasurabi)
An electronics engineer by qualification, a businessman by profession and a carnatic music rasika, Raghavan is an Executive Committee member and ex-President of Nadasurabhi Cultural Association. He handles several day to day activities of Nadasurabhi. He is keenly interested in bringing innovative ideas to the organization and raising its standards to international levels. Know more about Nadasurabhi >
Pratap Antony (Founder Secretary, Hyderabad Western Music Foundation)
Pratap Antony is the Founder–Secretary of the Hyderabad Western Music Foundation. He is a Management Consultant, specializing in Marketing Communications and he is a Business and Promotion Writer (Reform Communications). He also writes on music and other random and abstract subjects as the Passive activist/Active pacifist at http://pratapantony.blogspot.com,. He can be reached at pratapantony@gmail.com.
Samana Gururaja (Classical Dancer)
Samana Gururaja, trains at the Chitkala School of Dance under P.Praveen Kumar. She completed her Rangapravesha in the year 2004 and has since performed for Government sponsored Yuva Sourabha and Every Friday dance performances supported by the ICCR, the K. Dharmambal endowment program at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and for the Ankura Festival for Young Dancers, organized by the Karnataka Nrityakala Parishat. She has completed her BA in History from New York University, USA and is currently working at a non-profit organization, Art, Resources & Teaching (A.R.T.), in Bangalore, doing research projects related to Indian history, culture and heritage.She can be reached at samana.218@gmail.com.
Samata Agrawal (Theatre Enthusiast)
Samata Agrawal is an aspiring actor. Having back-packed extensively throughout India, acting is one of the things she found resonated with her the most. "The stage is a sacred place which represents a universe of possibilities and imagination", she says. While traveling, she enjoys working with different social groups and artists.She can be reached at samata.a@gmail.com.
Santosh Srinivas (Art Enthusiast)
Santosh, a graduate from Indian School of Business(ISB, Hyderabad), works in the entrepreneurship development space. With a keen interest in promoting the art forms of the country, he created this collaborative volunteering initiative. He is thankful to his wife for introducing him to the beautiful realms of Bharatanatyam. He can be reached at santosh.srinivas@kalaparva.com.
Shalini Tripathi (Art Enthusiast)
Shalini is an avid reader and traveler,and has seen many countries. A Masters in Business Management and Bachelors in History, 'Knowing Cultures' is her area of interest. She has also been associated with ASER, Pratham - a NGO in the field of Child Education in India.
Shobha Subramanian (Classical Dancer & Singer)
Shobha Subramanian is a trained Indian Classical dancer, teacher, choreographer and singer. Awards in India and in the US include Maryland State’s Individual Artist Award (three times). Under her leadership, Jayamangala dancers have performed across the DC metro area (like Kennedy center, Smithsonian) and the east coast. In March 2007 she organized a Dance Conference in Maryland where leading artistes made academic presentations. Subramanian has collaborated with artists across genres, produced a documentary film “Rhythmic Expressions” in 2001 and recently received the Maryland Traditions Award 2008.
Smita Khadri V (Visual Art Hobbyist)
Smita Khadri V, a Quality Management Consultant by profession, has a keen interest in all forms of art and their significance and impact in the wholesome growth of the society. Loves traveling and collecting artifacts, and paints as a hobby. She can be reached at venkatesh.smitha@gmail.com.
Sumita Mitra(Classical & Rabindra Sangeet Vocalist)
Sumita is a recent college graduate in International Development Studies and Environmental Economics and Policy. For the last year she has been working with a non-profit organization in rural Rajasthan through an organization called Indicorps. Her project explored the use of performing arts to create social change in the village. She has always been a lover of arts and is trained in Hindustani classical and Rabrindra Sangeet vocal music. She can be reached at smitra215@gmail.com.
Sunilkumar Nair(Founder & Former Editor, The Malayali Wings)
Sunilkumar Nair, an ardent art lover, is the Founder of ‘The Malayali Wings’, a monthly electronic magazine being published by ‘Malayali Friends’ Group’. He works with Press Trust of India at its head quarter in Delhi and writes articles on Indian arts and crafts. He is an active worker in a social organization viz., ‘Friends for Restoration of National Values’ which fights against corruption and has interest in arts, History and Literature. He can be reached at sunil.nair@kalaparva.com.
Veena Basavarajaiah(Contemporary Dancer)
Veena Basavarajaiah is an young acclaimed contemporary solo artiste of India. She has also had the privilege of working with renowned Contemporary dance companies and has performed on various platforms across UK and Europe. A recipient of Special Mention Young Achievers Award in 2007 and also an empaneled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She is also a free lancer working with various dance companies. Know more about her >