ABOUT SUBHENDU GHOSH

Subhendu Ghosh is the founder and director of Pratidhwani, a popular cultural organization that has produced music and drama in the service of people's movements in India for 25 years. He holds a PhD. in biophysics and is a professor at the University of Hyderabad, India. He is actively engaged in research on how we learn patterns, particularly musical patterns such as ragas and talas. As a cultural activist, he has taken up culture as one of the important issues in social changes and justice. Through the platform of his group Pratidhwani he has been organizing periodic workshops on culture among the youth and students and raising the question of values, human integrity and social duties.

As a dramatist, he has been active in drama as an amateur artist. He has acted and directed (music & drama) on both streets and proscenium in Delhi and outside. These plays are based on the life and struggle of common people; the themes ranging from freedom struggle, education, gender issues, communal harmony, caste issues, the problems of the youth and students. These activities are an expression of Subhendu's social commitment. A special feature of his plays is the application of folk forms with emphasis on music and dance. He has directed plays performed by a group of tribes (Bheel) from west-central parts of India. As a music director, he has directed music for the films 'Imagine Kalpana', a short film on the life of a great freedom fighter Kalpana Dutta (Joshi) produced by Doordarshan; 'Asli Azadi', a documentary on women freedom fighters; and 'Apne Haque Ke Liye', a documentary on the rope makers of Rajaji National Park, and for the play 'Andorra' produced by Pravah, and the ballet 'Azadi ke Taraane'. Subhendu Ghosh has performed before live and television audience all over India, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovakia, and the USA. He directed and sang in the production of a commercial music album of ghazals entitled 'Khwab-e-Sahar' . He also directed and sang in the production of a commercial music album of popular songs of struggle entitled 'Jaga Sara Sansar' , sung in a commercial music album of songs entitled 'Sab Rango Ka Samavesh' , and directed and sung in a commercial music album of popular folk songs.

The event will feature a talk by Subhendu Ghosh, music and songs of struggle, and a multimedia presentation including excerpts from documentaries. 

There will be a reception at 2.30pm; the event will formally begin at 3.00pm.

South Asians For Collective Action
Friends of South Asia
India Relief and Education Fund
South Bay Mobilization
Association for India's Development
Punjabi People's Cultural Association
Gadar Heritage Foundation

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