The Five Awardees of the 2011 Vinod Doshi Fellowship in Performing Arts... : www.MumbaiTheatreGuide.com

The Five Awardees of the 2011 Vinod Doshi Fellowship in Performing Arts...

March 24, 2011 12:00:00 AM IST
MTG editorial

Every year, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the Late Vinod Doshi, the legendary industrialist of Premier Ltd., the Sahitya Rangbhoomi Pratishtan bestows the Vinod Doshi Fellowship in Performing Arts to five upcoming talented artistes in Hindi and Marathi theatre. Vinod Doshi and his wife, the well-known art historian Dr. Mrs. Saryu Doshi harboured a lifelong passion for the performing arts. A cash reward of Rs. 1 lakh is awarded by Dr. Mrs. Saryu Doshi to each of the five artistes every year. The award amount helps meet the artistes' monthly living expenses for a year, thereby freeing them to focus on their creative pursuits.

The recipients for this year's fellowhip are:

Aalok Rajwade

This young theatre actor-director has been steadily gaining recognition. Based in Pune, Aalok Rajwade is now known in Mumbai and elsewhere for his direction of plays such as CHAKRA, INSTITUTE OF PAVATALOGY and GELI EKVEES VARSHA, and has won awards for them. Amongst his awards, he has also received the prestigious Sawai Abhineta Puraskar for his performance in JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM. The films that he has acted in include Udedhboon (recipient of the Silver Bear award at the 58th Berlin Film Festival and the National Award), Bokya Satbande, Vihir, and Gadyalancha Dawakhana (recipient of the best short film award at PIFF '09)

Ashish Mehta

Ashish Mehta is the manager that theatre companies dream of. He is the administrative head of Aasakta, one of the leading theatre companies in India. He has demonstrated a rare passion and commitment while working as a stage and production manager of Aasakta's productions. He has been part of the Prithvi Festival management team in 2008 and in 2009, and has also assisted the UK based Complicite's production of A DISAPPEARING NUMBER on their tour in India in 2010. Ashish is also an actor and has performed in notable productions such as TU (2006), CHARSHE KOTI VISARBHOLE (2007), NECROPLOIS and TICHEE 17 PRAKARNE (2010).

Bijon Mandal

This electrical engineer and bachelor of computer application has devoted the past 12 years and more to pursuing excellence in the performing arts. He has conceptualized, designed and directed many ballets, including Dharamveer Bharati's ANDHA YUG and Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. He has directed a children's play- PI-IN SEARCH OF GOD'S NAME based on Yaan Martel's novel The Life of Pi. He has designed the lights and sets for many other productions, notably for Vasanth Kannabiran's PEACE ON EARTH. He has acted in over 20 full length plays and performed in 15 ballets in India and abroad.

Choiti Ghosh

Choiti has been a performer on stage since a very young age. She has worked as a freelance artiste with various performing groups around the country and outside-a member of her home theatre group 'Anant', a regular actor with the renowned director Habib Tanvir, a puppeteer with the Katkatha puppet art foundation amongst others. She has acted in a number of plays. Choiti started out in Children's theatre as a performer and later as facilitator with special interests in Drama and Alternate Education. She trained in Object Theatre under Agnes Limbos at the Professional Workshop organised by the Institute International de la Marionette, France. She has started Tram Theatre with a group of friends, with the hope to specialize in Object Theatre. Their first play NOSTOS (meaning Homecoming) opened at the Prithvi Carnival in February 2011. Choiti besides being the administrative head of the India Theatre Forum is also trained in classical Hindustani music.

Geetanjali Kulkarni

Geetanjali is an alumnus of the National School of Drama. After having specialized in Acting, she has worked extensively on stage, in film and in television. Two of her performances have fetched her prominent awards- The Zee Gaurav Puraskar for the best female actor in a supporting role for Lagnakallol and the Zee Gaurav Puraskar for best actress for her role in the play EK RIKAAMI BAJU. She has appeared in well recognized films like Aga Bai Arrecha and Rita. She is a regular and a familiar presence on the small screen. She is visiting faculty at various theatre workshops conducted across the country and she works to promote the performing arts amongst students, corporate professionals and various special interest groups.

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