We, the IAI - Fine Arts Committee (FAC), would like to express our sincere appreciation for your participation in and presence at our events in 2007. Your contribution as subscribing members of ICMCI demonstrates your support for the Indian classical performing arts and the mission of the FAC, and is particularly gratifying because it has enabled us to plan ahead for the 2008 concert season.

During 2007, the FAC brought an Odissi dance program by Smt. Yogini Gandhi, classical vocal recitals by the world-renowned Ustad Rashid Khan (Rampur-Sahaswan gharana) and Pandit Kaivalya Kumar Gurav (Kirana gharana), a ghazal program by Shri Sudhir Narain and Kathak dance by Sr. Anindita Sen and her students. The Rashid Khan concert and the Sudhir Narain ghazal programs were co-sponsored with Pakistani American Friendship Association. We also co-sponsored “Ganga-Kaveri” a jugalbandhi program of North and South Indian flutes with the Carnatic Music association and, a sarod recital by Shri Anirban Dasgupta with Butler University.

We urge you to renew your membership or become new members for 2008. In anticipation of your continued support, we have planned, in spring 2008, a vocal recital by Shri Hemang Mehta (disciple of Pandit Jasraj) and a Bharatnatyam dance program by Smt. Vrunda Mehta, a graduate of Smt. Rukminidevi Arundale’s Kalakshetra, Chennai. In the fall, we will cosponsor, with the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana, a Kuchipudi dance drama led by Padmabhushan Shri Vempati Chinnasatyam. There will be at least one more musical event during the year as well as a program featuring local classical dance artists.