The Oracles of RUPAC
Ms. Sheila Deshpande
Ms. Sheila Deshpande
Ms. Sheila Deshpande
Comes from old music stock - a family of music patrons, and married into the Sawai Gandharva lineage. She is actively involved in upholding the family legacy; her late husband Shrikant Deshpande too being a renowned Hindustani Singer in his own right.
A walking repository of Hindustani classical music she’s a sprightly septuagenerian, hap
Comes from old music stock - a family of music patrons, and married into the Sawai Gandharva lineage. She is actively involved in upholding the family legacy; her late husband Shrikant Deshpande too being a renowned Hindustani Singer in his own right.
A walking repository of Hindustani classical music she’s a sprightly septuagenerian, happily ups and takes off to various music festivals, the Kundgol Mahotsav naturally being her favourite.
Ms. Nalini Mane
Ms. Sheila Deshpande
Ms. Sheila Deshpande
A veteran in selfless community service, Nalinitai has devoted her entire life for the welfare of marginalised women and children and she serves on various boards of non profit organisations.
A past NCC Cadet and sportswoman into cycling, horse riding, mountaineering and much more; she is a by the way lawyer and pleads guilty to an inordinate love for jewellery.
Dr. Rajesh Kelkar
Ms. Sheila Deshpande
Mr. Anand Raghavan
Dr. Kelkar dons many hats - running the Vocal Dept. of the famed Music College of Baroda University, an active core member of Swar Vilas - one of the oldest Performing Arts Organisations of Gujarat, a superlative but introverted performing artist with a strict daily practice regimen, an assiduous guide to youngsters with their craft,…and
Dr. Kelkar dons many hats - running the Vocal Dept. of the famed Music College of Baroda University, an active core member of Swar Vilas - one of the oldest Performing Arts Organisations of Gujarat, a superlative but introverted performing artist with a strict daily practice regimen, an assiduous guide to youngsters with their craft,…and a lot more.
Legend goes he has amongst the best ‘tihaais’ in the Hindustani vocal music world.
Mr. Anand Raghavan
Ms. Sheila Deshpande
Mr. Anand Raghavan
A very good singer and deeply immersed into the Arts. He and his lively mother Prema generously offer their beautiful home for various Cultural Events.
But that can be beguiling, Anand runs a busy factory and is a committed businessman; a good pragmatic foil for our sometimes rose tinted vision.
The Chief Instigators
Dr. S. Brintha Lakshmi
Dr. Pragna & Mr. Dilip Desai
Dr. S. Brintha Lakshmi
Retd. H.O.D., Dept. of Architecture, MSU, Vadodara, she also has a background in Carnatic music - her mother being an AIR Veena artist.
Besides traveling, gardening and writing poetry when in the mood, Brintha is also a Hindustani classical vocal student; started learning as soon as she stopped teaching.
Being our eloquent Compere-in-Chie
Retd. H.O.D., Dept. of Architecture, MSU, Vadodara, she also has a background in Carnatic music - her mother being an AIR Veena artist.
Besides traveling, gardening and writing poetry when in the mood, Brintha is also a Hindustani classical vocal student; started learning as soon as she stopped teaching.
Being our eloquent Compere-in-Chief, which one of her enviable sarees will she don next is the moot question.
Dr. Tripti Gupta
Dr. Pragna & Mr. Dilip Desai
Dr. S. Brintha Lakshmi
An exceptionally talented Kathak dancer, both as a teacher and an artist, she has performed around India and the world.
Tripti is our youngest crew member; forever cheerful and brimming with young energy. A tad fixated on Kathak, when not dancing you can find her shopping Kathak costumes as also being an aspirational saree collector.
Dr. Pragna & Mr. Dilip Desai
Dr. Pragna & Mr. Dilip Desai
Dr. Pragna & Mr. Dilip Desai
A retired micro biologist and engineer couple now devoted to the cause of Indian Classical Arts and our chief founding benefactors.
Young at heart, during concerts Pragnaben is always ready with hot snacks while Dilipbhai surreptitiously enjoys his chocolates!
Ms. Mini Buddhiraja
Dr. Pragna & Mr. Dilip Desai
Dr. Pragna & Mr. Dilip Desai
One of our early and large hearted patrons, Mini is at all times cheerful and positive. Highly supportive of and always ready to contribute to our every activity.
Mad about dogs, music and feeding people; possibly in that order.
Ms. Ansuya Patel
Mr. Jayant Bhokare
Mr. Jayant Bhokare
A retired Banking professional, generously contributing to our cause.
A gold medalist in Dramatics - a budding painter, singer and a seasoned actor with a funny bone and a funnier comic timing.
Mr. Jayant Bhokare
Mr. Jayant Bhokare
Mr. Jayant Bhokare
With a background in Media Operations and Business Strategy, he is our Head of Headline Hustle and our ROI Rockstar and one of our munificent patrons.
Jayant has a background in leadership positions with media houses like Star TV and Reliance Network.
It’s a Happy coincidence for us that he’s moved from the Metros to Baroda to do consultin
With a background in Media Operations and Business Strategy, he is our Head of Headline Hustle and our ROI Rockstar and one of our munificent patrons.
Jayant has a background in leadership positions with media houses like Star TV and Reliance Network.
It’s a Happy coincidence for us that he’s moved from the Metros to Baroda to do consulting and get more time to indulge in his passion for classical music.
Ms. Jagruti Patel
Mr. Jayant Bhokare
Ms. Jagruti Patel
An Indian based in the West Jagruti is extremely proud of her Indian roots. A genuine philanthropist supporting various causes, RUPAC being - fortunately for us - one of them.
A busy engineer at work but with her heart in the right place - India and its culture.
The OG Crew
Ms. Himani Patel. Trustee
Mr. Dushyant Rupolia. Trustee
Mr. Dushyant Rupolia. Trustee
Our President with a steely determination to further the cause of RUPAC. Generous with throwing open her home and heart for it - the Adda for all our shenanigans.
A trained chemist Himani finds a quiet joy in the chemistry of music, with sarees coming a close second.
Mr. Dushyant Rupolia. Trustee
Mr. Dushyant Rupolia. Trustee
Mr. Dushyant Rupolia. Trustee
Our young dynamic VP. A Hindustani classical vocalist par excellence, he is equally proficient with the Tabla and Harmonium. A Sagar University gold medalist in Master's, he is an AIR grade artist in both classical and light vocal - a rarity; he has also served as an ICCR deployed teacher cum performer in the Maldives with the High Commis
Our young dynamic VP. A Hindustani classical vocalist par excellence, he is equally proficient with the Tabla and Harmonium. A Sagar University gold medalist in Master's, he is an AIR grade artist in both classical and light vocal - a rarity; he has also served as an ICCR deployed teacher cum performer in the Maldives with the High Commission of India.
Young blood inhabiting an old soul - he can’t resist anything vintage.
Ms. Sonal Shah.Trustee
Mr. Dushyant Rupolia. Trustee
Ms. Falguni Shah. Trustee
Blessed with a lovely singing voice she’s a keen learner and completely dedicated to music.
A Home Science graduate who nonetheless needs to travel away from home regularly, Sonal is a diligent homemaker and an even more diligent Secretary to RUPAC.
Ms. Falguni Shah. Trustee
Ms. Niketa Moghe. Trustee
Ms. Falguni Shah. Trustee
A physiotherapist by training and a sincere music student by choice.
A highly committed member Falguni is an exercise fiend, a staunch believer of health is wealth so she demands an extremely healthy balance sheet being our exacting and tight fisted Treasurer.
Ms. Niketa Moghe. Trustee
Ms. Niketa Moghe. Trustee
Ms. Niketa Moghe. Trustee
Into music as a lifelong student, she is the resident wit and pen wielder; master of none of the above, but a devoted dogsbody to RUPAC.
A practising architect passionate about a lot of things - architecture, trees, music, long walks, hockey, travel, reading/writing, perfumery, collecting, and lots more…not always in that order.