Photos: Salman Rushdie, Mira Nair, Dr Manjula Bansal at Indo-American Arts Council Gala
Featured talent included the Oscar winning duo: singer/songwriter/composer Paul Williams (Oscar winner with Barbara Streisand for “Evergreen”) with pianist/composer Kenny Ascher (of “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie fame); and a stupendous fashion show featuring the designs of Manish Arora.
Author Salman Rushdie, filmmaker Mira Nair, actor Lisa Ray, chef and author Madhur Jaffrey, actor Sarita Choudhury (Homeland), writer and filmmaker Sabrina Dhawan, actor Sakina Jaffrey (House of Cards), author, screenwriter, producer Tracey Jackson, tabla artist and musician Suphala, Consul General of India Dhyaneshwar Mulay, Ambassador Vijay Nambiar, Ambassador Manjeev Puri, actors Reshma Shetty (Royal Pains) and Deep Katadare walked the carpet.
Executive Director and Founding Member of IAAC, Aroon Shivdasani said, “In less than two decades the IAAC has pioneered a change in the cultural landscape of New York city by setting an example for numerous other organizations in each of the artistic disciplines to showcase, present and celebrate artists of Indian origin. I am delighted that several of our friends, both Indian and American artists, are working with us to celebrate these 15 years of giving. The IAAC is a teenager at the brink of maturity. I look forward to seeing her as an adult exulting in the recognition and celebration of artists of Indian origin in the performing, visual and literary arts.”
The IAAC will honoured three outstanding Indians author Salman Rushdie, filmmaker Mira Nair, Dr Manjula Bansal for their contribution to the global artistic community.
“IAAC has been the perfect platform for nourishing and promoting Indian heritage, through the medium of performing arts, in our adopted homeland – the U.S.,” said Bansal, one of the honorees at the gala. “The IAAC has done invaluable work in creating a showcase for Indian Americans in many art forms. I'm delighted to have been a supporter from the earliest days,” said author and IAAC supporter Rushdie. “Love and salaams to dynamic Aroon and the IAAC for bringing us our cinema for 15 years. Woo Hoo!” exclaimed Mira Nair whose film Monsoon Wedding closed the first IAAC film festival.
Past honorees include filmmakers Deepa Mehta, Shyam Benegal, Gurinder Chadha, Actor Shabana Azmi, author/ MP Shashi Tharoor, artist (late) M.F. Husain amongst many others.
About The Indo-American Arts Council: The Indo-American Arts Council is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit, secular service and resource arts organization charged with the mission of promoting and building the awareness, creation, production, exhibition, publication and performance of Indian and cross-cultural art forms in North America. It is passionate about showcasing, celebrating and building an awareness of artists and artistic disciplines of Indian origin in the performing, literary, visual and folk arts. |