AimforSevaBayArea. will hold its highly anticipated Donor Appreciation Event on Saturday, October 28, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. This year AIMS presents Anubhava: An Experience of the Senses which features the breathtaking visual artistry and captivating storytelling of acclaimed dancer and choreographer Rukmini Vijayakumar. The unique production, created especially for AIM for Seva, will also showcase the impressive musical talents of award-winning violinist Ambi Subramaniam.
Anubhava consists of three movements that will weave immersive stories and experiences and include an interactive piece in which both artists create a performance based on audience requests.
Rukmini Vijayakumar
CHOREOGRAPHER, DANCER, ACTRESS
Rukmini Vijaykumar, a graduate of the Boston Conservatory, is the founder and artistic director of Raadha Kalpa Dance Company, and the director of LshVa, a space for artists. She is known for her unique style and approach to the practice of Bharatanatyam, bringing creativity, contemporary thinking, and execution to this ancient dance form. She has performed as a soloist all over the world, including at Jacobs Pillow, The Drive East Festival, and La MaMa Theatre NYC.
Dr. Ambi Subramaniam
VIOLINIST, COMPOSER, EDUCATOR
Hailed as “India’s Itzhak Perlman” by Ozy Magazine, Ambi Subramaniam trained with his father and guru Dr. L. Subramaniam from the age of three. He has received the RITZ Icon of the Year Award, two GiMAs (Global Indian Music Academy Award for Best Fusion Album and Best Carnatic Instrumental Album), and Big Indian Music Award (for Best Carnatic Album).
Along with his sister, Bindu Subramaniam, he runs SaPa – the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts – which trains young children to grow into performing musicians. He also runs the SaPa in Schools program, which helps children develop 21st-century skills using music as a gateway. Ambi co-hosts the SaPa Show on Sankara TV, which teaches Indian music to children around the world from the comfort of their homes.
Ambi plays as part of the contemporary world music band SubraMania, which he formed with his sister. He also plays as part of the Thayir Sadam Project, a Carnatic fusion collective he formed with Bindu, Mahesh Raghvan, and percussionist Akshay Anantapadmanabhan.
Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy
PERCUSSIONIST, COMPOSER, EDUCATOR
Indian-American percussionist, composer, and educator Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy is one of the leading voices of Indian classical and cross-genre music in the South Asian diaspora. He received mridangam training from the legendary maestro, Sri. Guruvayur Dorai, tabla with Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music, and drum set with Alan Hall at the California Jazz Conservatory.
Distinguished as a soloist, composer, and collaborator, Rohan has performed with legendary Indian classical musicians and Grammy Award-winning global artists. He leads The Alaya Project, an Indo-jazz-funk collective featuring celebrated saxophonist Prasant Radhakrishnan and keyboardist Colin Hogan. The group’s recently released debut album was praised by Jazziz Magazine, NPR, San Francisco Chronicle, and more.
Rohan holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the Eastman School of Music and directs the RohanRhythm Percussion Studio with students from across the globe. He is the recipient of international awards and grants including commissions from the San Francisco Arts Commission, Zellerbach Foundation, and Goethe Institute (Germany).
AIM for Seva Projects
Donations to the appeal support a variety of educational programs particularly in tribal and rural areas and on health care projects.
The San Francisco Chapter sponsors five chatralaya for boys and a chatralaya for girls, with a goal of funding the complete care for 207 children. Another important initiative is to raise the funds necessary nationwide to build much-needed new chatralaya to bring our holistic care and programming to a greater number of children in rural and tribal communities of India. Gifts to the San Francisco Chapter supports the four AIM for Seva hospitals in offering free or subsidized care to rural populations.
According to Rani Goel, “AIM for Seva is doing some really commendable work for making education available to poor, tribal, rural and marginalized children in India. Our schools are feeders for pratham and we are feeders to programs like FFE. It is a wonderfully symbiotic ladder of opportunity for the children.”
Bay area high schoolers also have opportunities to volunteer in AIMS for Seva projects through the “Global Youth Leadership Program” which offers week-long education and cultural exchange programs at a rural chatralaya in India.
To find out more about the event go to Anubhava. To support AIMS for Seva’s 2023 Appeal HERE.