Indian Artpreneur

On this episode we speak to authors, art-entrepreneurs, Performing artists who have developed a unique voice through their work.On today's episode we have Sriram Venkatakrishnan, who is an entrepreneur, columnist, music historian, a youtube vlogger and a heritage activist.He is also one of the Secretaries of the Music Academy, Madras, by the capacity of which he is the convenor for its annual conference in December.Sriram completed his graduation with a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the College of Engineering, Delhi in 1987.In 1989, he completed his post-graduation with a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Advertising from FMS, DelhiSince 1999, Mr. Sriram has been doing considerable work on the history of Chennai and the history of Carnatic Music.He writes frequently on these subjects for The Hindu and Madras Musings. He has authored over 25 bookson various topics pertaining to Carnatic music, arts, and history. His book, The Devadasi and the Saint, the Life and Times ofBangalore Nagarathnamma, fetched him the United Nations Female Population Award for gender sensitivity in writing. His CarnaticSummer, the lives of 22 exponents was described by the Hon. APJ Abdul Kalam as unputdownable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 38th epsiode(S4:E2) of Indian Artpreneur Podcast, we speak to Manasi Prasad who is an acclaimed Carnatic Vocalist and Museum Director of Indian Music Experience, which is India's only interactive music museum. The IME is an initiative of the non-profit Indian Music Experience Trust, supported by the Brigade Group. Manasi is also a trained classical dancer and an engineering and MBA graduate from IIM Bangalore.Manasi's relentless work in bringing India's music, culture and history under one roof has brought her many laurels. The vision of the IME, museum is to increase the understanding and appreciation of the diversity of Indian music, from the traditional to the contemporary through exhibits, performances and learning activities.On this episode we speak about:Indian Music ExperienceCuration ProcessCreative space for artistsCollaboration with Google Art & CultureCost Structure  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 37th episode of Indian Artpreneur Podcast we speak to Kavtia Kane, who is an author, motivational speaker and a former journalist. Mrs. Kane is also the author of seven books.Karna's Wife her debut novel, (2013) was a bestseller. Her second novel – Sita's Sister (2014) also deals with another enigmatic personality – Urmila, probably the most overlooked character in the Ramayan. Menaka's Choice(2015) ,another best-seller, is about the famous apsara and her infamous liaison with Vishwamitra the man she was sent to destroy. Lanka's Princess (2016) is her fourth book based on Ravan's sister, Surpanakha, the Princess of Lanka who was also its destroyer.Her fifth book Sita's Sister(2017) on why did Sita's siter agree to be left behind in the palace, waiting for her husband for 14 painfully long years? and the sixth book, The Fisher Queen's Dynasty (2017) which will re-align your reading of the Mahabharata. Ahalya's Awakening (2019) draws out the voice of a character that lacked one—even before she was turned to stone.Her latest and seventh book, Saravasti's Gift (2021)- Mrs. Kane brings to light Sarasvati's story-the goddess of art, music and knowledge-told in the voices of nameless celestials, powerful gods and lesser mortals. The book explores her relationship with her Creator, Brahma, and their unusual marriage-a union of fiercely independent minds and the most non-conforming, unconventional of the Triumvirate couples. As these peripheral figures and silent catalysts take centre stage, we get a glimpse of an extraordinary woman and her remarkable story, obscured and buried under myths and legends.In this episode we speak to hear about her writing process:Story StructureKey components of mythological fictionResearchDance and music in mythologyAdvise for young writers  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 12th episode of ‘Indian Artpreneur' podcast series, Season 3 – Vistāra we speak to Guru Nivedita Bhattacharya an Indian Kathak exponent from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.On this episode you will listen to her speak about:Childhood daysJourney as a teacherSocial responsibilities of a dancer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 11th episode of ‘Indian Artpreneur' podcast series, Season 3 – Vistāra we speak to Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar an Indian musician who plays the percussion instrument tabla.Talwalkar was awarded the All India Radio Award in 1966, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2004 and Padma Shri in 2013.On this episode you will listen to him speak about:Advantage of learning both styles – Hindustani and Carnatic for musiciansGuru shishya paramparaTeaching students from western backgroundHow to measure success? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 10th episode of ‘Indian Artpreneur' podcast series, Season 3 – Vistāra, we speak to Smt. Shantala Subramanyam, who plays the Venu, a Carnatic bamboo flute. She is also a trained vocalist and one of the most sought after teachers.Shantala displayed keen interests in music when she was only an year old and like many Carnatic musicians, Shantala started playing in early childhood under the guidance of her father M N Subramanyam and her brother Shashank, an eminent flute artist. She was also trained by eminent performers – vocalist late Sri. Vairamangalam Lakshminarayanan, and is currently pursuing vocal music training under Sri O.S.Thyagarajan and Sri T V Gopalakrishanan.In this episode we speak aboutHer early daysHow to be a Performer?Role of a teacherMessage to students  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 8th episode of ‘Indian Artpreneur' podcast series, Season 3 – Vistāra we speak to Guru Smt. Jayanthi Kumaresh, who is India's torch bearer worldwide for Saraswathi Veena, the National Instrument of India. She is an artiste, collaborator, composer, researcher, creator, pioneer, an educator and one of the legendary Veena masters that India has ever produced.As a researcher, she holds a Doctorate for her works on “Styles and playing techniques of the Saraswathi Veena”. She is the founder of the Indian National Orchestra, featuring 21 star musicians from all over India – the first of its kind orchestra for Indian Classical Music. Her web series, Cup O' Carnatic, which popularizes Carnatic music in general and Veena in particular has more than 2 million views on social media.On this episode you will listen to her speak about:Early daysPhilosophy of musicHow to practice?Teacher to GuruMessage to parents and teachers  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 4th episode of season 3, ‘Vistāra', we speak to Kuchipudi Exponent, Theatre artist, Presidential Awardee from Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi – Guru Vyjayanthi KashiShe is the granddaughter of the Rangabhumi legend – Sri Gubbi Veeranna, and her career spans over an impressive spectrum of performance, choreography, teaching, acting, research & organizing. She is the Director of Shambhavi School of Dance – which is the only Kuchipudi Gurukula in Bangalore. She is also the organizer of Dance Jathre – India's First ever International Dance fair.On this episode you will listen to her speak about:Early daysLearning KuchipudiGuru Shishya ParamaparaAdvice to teachers and students  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 12th episode of Season 2, “The resilient Entrepreneurs” we speak to Mahesh Venkateswaran, the founder of MadRasana, a platform to present Carnatic music and other Indian classical art in an an intimate setting, to bring the artistes, the art form and the listeners closer to each other, to have a better connect. MadRasana is built with the principle of being the catalyst between musicians and rasikas.After a very successful stint at a major IT firm, Mahesh embarked on this new venture in an uncharted territory bolstering his experiences from IT & digital spaces . He founded MadRasana in 2016 which started off with Garden Concerts and then moved on to MadRasana Unplugged, which uploads Carnatic music videos on its YouTube channel.On this episode we discuss genesis, revenue streams, digital &business strategy, and future projects of MadRasana.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 10th episode of Indian Artpreneur Season 2, “The resilient Entrepreneurs” we speak to Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, the Artistic Director and Chairman of Sutra Foundation. Described by international dance connoisseurs as one of the finest artistes of his generation, Ramli Ibrahim is a cultural icon who has performed internationally for more than four decades. His rigorous training in ballet, modern, and Indian  classical  dance  reflects  not  only  his  diverse  technical  accomplishment,  but  also  his multifaceted approach to the performing arts.As artistic director of Sutra Dance Theatre, Ramli has choreographed stunning works and nurtured some of the brightest dance talents from Malaysia, many of whom have won international acclaim in both traditional and contemporary scenes.Ramli has been instrumental in transforming the dance scenario in Malaysia to greater heights. Today, he is known for single‐handedly establishing Odissi as a recognisable and  widely  appreciated  dance  form  in  the  country,  while  creating  a  distinctively  Malaysian interpretation of this ancient tradition. As a pioneer, Ramli is recognised internationally within the arts scene, evident in the numerous accolades conferred upon him. He is acknowledged as a ‘Living Heritage' by the Government of Malaysia as the United Nations declared him to be a UNESCO Living Treasure in 2012.The President of India awarded Ramli the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2011, the first ever for a Malaysian. The award is recognised as the highest national honour conferred on performing artists, gurus and scholars of the performing arts. He was most recently conferred the Padma Shri Award from the Government of India in April 2018. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 9th episode of Season 2, “The resilient Entrepreneurs” on Indian Artpreneur Podcast, we speak to Dr. Deborah Thiagarajan, the founder and President of DakshinaChitra Museum in Chennai. Dr. Deborah Thiagarajan, set out to found the Madras Craft Foundation (MCF) in 1984. Madras Craft Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization and DakshinaChitra was conceived as its main project.MCF received a grant for research and education in 1988, a long lease of land from the Government of Tamilnadu came in 1991, followed by grants from the Development Commissioner Handicrafts (Government of India) and by the Ministry of Culture for the building at DakshinaChitra. Matching donations came from industry. The Museum slowly became a reality and opened to the public in December, 1996. Today DakshinaChitra successfully showcases the rich cultural heritage of South India. It reflects the beauty, traditions, innovations and the continuing evolution of South Indian arts and culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 8th episode of Season 2, “The resilient Entrepreneurs” on Indian Artpreneur Podcast, we speak to Rukmini Vijayakumar, who is the artistic director of Raadha Kalpa Dance Company, and the director of Lshva, a creative space for artists in the heart of Bangalore. She is the founder of The Raadha Kalpa method an educational system for Bharatanatyam that is based on the idea of neutrality. Rukmini's approach to Bharatanatyam is dedicated, rigorous and layered. She has presented her work as a soloist all over the world, including venues such as the Jacobs Pillow festival, Drive East NYC, and the Korzo Theater. Recently she played ‘the goddess of love' in ‘Sukanya', produced by The Royal Opera house in London. She has studied Bharatanatyam under Guru Padmini Rao, Guru Sundari Santhanam and Guru Narmada. Her style is greatly influenced by the ancient movement practice of Karanas. A Graduate of the Boston Conservatory, Rukmini's process of creation is both traditional and contemporary. She was a recipient of the Jiri Kylian grant for choreography and a resident choreographer at Korzo theater, Netherlands in 2018.Her productions, Nayani, Prabhavati, AbhimatA, Talattu and The Dark Lord have toured india and the world extensively. Her more recent work, Turiya, MALA, The Muse and Unrequited were created within the contemporary idiom and have been appreciated for their creative approach to the bharatanatyam vocabulary. She was bestowed the title of Arsha Kala Bhushanam by Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Also an actor, Rukmini has been recognised for the roles that she has played in a number of Indian Films and Theater performances Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 7th episode of Season 2, “The resilient Entrepreneurs” on Indian Artpreneur Podcast, we speak to Sandeep Virdee OBE, the founder and artistic director of Darbar Festival, UK. Abandoning a successful career in accountancy, Sandeep curated his first Indian classical musical festival in honour of his late father, Gurmit Singh Virdee, in 2006 and has never looked back since. He is currently Artistic Director for Darbar.The Darbar has re-shaped the landscape of Indian classical music in Britain, by promoting excellence, risk taking and innovation. In this interesting conversation, Sandeep Virdee talks about the History, Values, Philosophy, Sources of funding of Darbar Festival.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 On the 6th episode of Season 2, “The Resilient Enterpreneurs” on Indian Artpreneur Podcast, we speak to Shreya Nagarajan Singh, the founder of SNS Arts Development Cosultancy based in Chennai. Shreya studied arts management at the DakshinaChitra Heritage Museum and completed the Asia Pacific Leadership Program at the East West Centre in Hawaii, before spending a number of years at Apparao Galleries. At Apparao, she ran over 200 of their events, developing strong relationships with Sharan Apparao and others.Born into a family of patrons and performers of the South Indian performance arts of Bharatanatyam & Carnatic music, she has been exposed to the forms throughout her life. From an early age she began training, teaching and performing in Bharatanatyam. She is a student of Bharatanatyam legend Rhadha Ramanathan.In 2015, Shreya was awarded the coveted Fulbright Nehru Fellowship to pursue a Masters in Arts Management at Columbia College Chicago. While completing her masters in Chicago, she also worked as the project manager on the Eye On India festival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 5th episode of Season 2, “The Resilient Enterpreneurs” on Indian Artpreneur Podcast, we speak to Balakrishnan Venkataraman, The Founder and Artistic Director of Theatre Nisha(Chennai) that has staged over 120 plays in the past 20 years under its banner in over 15 international, national and regional theatre festivals. Balakrishnan V is an alumnus of Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts (New Delhi) and the National School of Drama (New Delhi).He was awarded the Charles Wallace Scholarship to attend an International Residency for Young Directors with the Royal Court Theatre, London. In his career as a theatre artist, he has directed over 200 plays, acted in over 150 plays and written over 10 scripts. He has worked with several international dancers and theatre professionals on collaborative projects, including Performance Group Tuida, from South Korea.He has to his credit several workshops on different aspects of theatre, which have benefitted artists, teachers, dancers, students, and members of marginalised communities.In 2015, he was invited to be a TEDx speaker at the Bangalore convention, where he spoke on ‘How to Build a Character?' In 2017, he was awarded the Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching (FDAT) and returned having completed a 4-month inquiry-based project from Indiana University. In 2018, the Rotary Club of Madras East conferred the Dronacharya Award on him for his contributions to theatre education. In 2019, he won the Hindu Playwright Award for his play Sordid which premiered at Natarani Amphitheatre in March 2020.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the fourth episode of “The resilient Entrepreneurs” we speak to Dr. Anita Ratnam, the founder of Narthaki. Dr. Ratnam is highly respected as a performer, writer, speaker and arts entrepreneur and culture mentor.  She has been described as an “Intersectionist”, whose work weaves the many disciplines of dance, theater, spoken word, ritual, archaeology, dramaturgy and women's issues.For over 40 years, her distinguished career has witnessed over 1300 performances in 37 countries. Dr Ratnam's background as a television producer in New York City (1980 to 1990) as well as her educational qualifications in Dance, History, Theatre and Women's Studies (MA and Phd) have made her a popular speaker for diverse audiences.Her formal training in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathakali has given Dr. Ratnam a distinctive movement vocabulary that she has named NEO BHARATAM – a contemporary Indian kinetic situated on a mature body.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the third episode of “The resilient Entrepreneurs” we speak to Skanda Anantha Murthy, the founder of Shaale. Skanda launched Shaale as an online platform to make Indian arts and culture more accessible to people all over the world. Encouraged by his mother, musician and Sanskrit professor, Dr. T S Satyavathi, Skanda launched Shaale in 2012, in Bengaluru.Shaale is known for its online courses in classical music. It also provides video recording, live-streaming (webcast), video on demand, and 4k video audio documentation for artistes, researchers, organisers, and students for free or at subsidized rates. Shaale has streamed events for over 1500 organizations, pan-India.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the second episode of Season 2, “The resilient Entrepreneurs”, we have Sruti Harihara Subramanian, who has conceived and directed the Amazon Exclusive musical docu-series “Harmony with A. R. Rahman.” Sruti is a National award winning film maker and a theater actor with a deep love for animals and the environment.Her debut feature documentary ‘A Far Afternoon ‘ on eminent painter Krishen Khanna bagged the Rajat Kamal for the best art/cultural film at the 63rd Indian National Film Awards and also the best music for non- feature film. It has been screened across various film festivals and cities including London, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Hyderabad, Stockholm and in the USA. It has been nominated for the best documentary in the New York Indian International Film Festival 2016 and at The Indian Film Festival at Stuttgart.Sruti's company Happy Wanderer Films has several national and international corporate and ad films to its credit for companies and NGOs like Piramal Enterprises, Vasan Eye Care, Brittania, Amec Foster Wheeler , Craft Council of India, Villgro, Cuomo Foundation an Ngo based in Monaco etc.Sruti is the founder trustee of The Cinema Resource Centre (TCRC) which is a not-for-profit public archive of Indian cinema designed to enable research on the audio-visual cultural artifacts produced by Indian films, especially those made in the regional languages of South India.Sruti also runs golisodastore.com a platform to bring environment-friendly products to the mainstream market. Sruti has been working on a couple of feature film scripts and in her spare time she pursues her love for acting by performing with the Chennai based theatre group Theatre Nisha. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On our first episode of season 2, “The resilient Entrepreneurs” we speak to Akhila Krishnamurthy, the founder of Aalaap. Akhila is a freelance journalist and the founder of Aalaap, a boutique arts management company based in Chennai. Akhila founded Aalaap after a 15-year career in journalism where she worked across leading publications in India, including The Times of India where she was the Editor of all the supplements. As a freelance writer, Akhila has contributed essays and features across The Hindu, the India Today Group, Outlook, Tehelka, Open, and Sruti. Aalaap is Akhila's brainchild and is an ideas and innovations company that works with classical artistes from across the world across aspects of ideation, curation, production, publicity and strategy. Personally, she is passionate about artistes and the world they inhabit, and is constantly investigating the many shifts that make it so dynamic and exciting. She is a mother of a six-year-old and has spoken at TEDxNapierBridge on her two babies – Aryan and Aalaap – and how the principles of parenting and that of entrepreneurship, in a sense, mirror each other. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 On our final episode of Season 1 ‘Victory against the odds‘ on Indian Artpreneur Podcast, we speak to Music Maestro Smt. Sudeshna Bhattacharya, residing in Oslo, Norway. Smt. Sudeshna began to learn at the age of four from her father Pandit Shri Krishnamohan Bhattacharya and later at the age of eight she began to learn sarod from one of the greatest sarod maestroes of the world, the legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. Smt. Sudeshna became Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Gandabandh disiple.In 2003 the Ministry of Culture in France invited her to the Strictly Mondial international festival, and offered her a ten year contract. She lived in Marseilles where she gave concerts, recordings and participated in French cultural happenings with the support of the French Ministry of Culture. In 2015, she moved to Norway, and is a university lecturer for master students at the Norwegian Academy of Music, and continues touring the world for her concerts, recording albums, and making musical projects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.