Meet the Kala The Arts Team
Sushmita Pati
Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Kala The Arts
Sushmita Pati is an international award winning Odissi dancer and choreographer who is based in Hampshire. She has been working in the United Kingdom since 1986. She completed her MA in ethnomusicology at Goldsmiths College University of London and dissertation in Serikella Chhau Masked Dance from Laban Centre London. She started her career in Dance in London with Bhavan Centre Academy (now known as Akademi) and later moved to Hampshire in 1994.
In Hampshire, Sushmita’s work was presented as part of the opening of The Anvil and her solo performances at regional venues with Hampshire Dance. She taught at Winchester University for the Dance department for a year. Her training was with the late Padmavibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra, one of the finest choreographers of Odissi, and Sushmita is currently working with his son, dancer and choreographer Ratikant Mohapatra and Dr IIeana Citaristi.
Being one of the most renowned Odissi dancer artists in the UK, Sushmita is also a pioneer in introducing, developing and sustaining a South Asian dance practice in Hampshire. She has been a consultant on Asian Folk dance series for BBC 4 and written the dance text for Thengapalli Project which was created in Hampshire for Action Aid, with funding from Arts Council England and Hampshire County Council. She works with Kala The Arts as the CEO, artistic director, mentor, dancer, educator and choreographer. She is an Odissi Examiner for Bhavan Centre and Kathak Examiner for PRSSV. She has also served as a trustee with Basingstoke Voluntary Action, and as a founding member of the Multicultural Forum.
Sushmita has performed and toured solo work at Royal Festival Hall, Bhavan Centre, Greenwich Dance Agency, Haymarket Theatre, and toured work all over Hampshire including devising a dance programme for Art Asia. She has toured India several times, Thailand, Malaysia and Europe. She has created many choreographies for schools, colleges and universities, and has worked with national and international artists in her role at Kala The Arts.
“Sushmita has been successful because because of her passion, giving opportunities to many artists she has brought from India so that there is a different angle to the dance.” –– Gudrun Maertins.
“It was so interesting to learn more about the rise of interest in the dance form in Britain and to watch the performance.”–– Jane Pritchard Head of Dance V&A Museum
“Fantastic energy, gorgeously choreographed and beautifully presented. I felt more of a connection with this than I usually do with dance. Very much looking forward to seeing what comes next.” –– Flis Pitman
Trustees
Raka Nandra, Chair of Trustees
Raka Nandra is a Homeopathy and Herbal Consultant. She is very passionate about preserving the environment and coaches her clients to live in a pollution free environment, for example, staying away from high levels of WiFi frequencies and a diet of organic raw food.
She has an interest in Indian dance and music and attends concerts regularly. She is a qualified nursery teacher and managed children of staff at the BBC for 10 years, running their play scheme, childcare and combining that with arts activities by local providers. She is based in West London.
Jini Cherian
Jini Cherian was introduced to Kala the Arts when she decided to take up dancing for her wellbeing and to learn a new skill. After two years, she started volunteering for the organisation for events as well as meeting with the council to understand more about the organisation. Jini helps out with classes, engaging with children and their families, and being part of the work Kala does with schools, advising on school governance and supporting events such as the Basingstoke Festival and Deepali events. Jini is passionate about the role of arts and its importance in both physical and mental well-being. She is excited for Kala to be a part of more wonderful and challenging projects.
Emma Jane Raven
Emma Jane has always loved to dance. Ballet, Tap, Charleston, Clog, Ballroom, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Indian dance; she’s tried them all and had great fun doing it. Emma Jane has been teaching in primary schools for the past 12 years and is presently a literacy specialist and Year 6 lead. She is passionate about teaching and adamant that all learning experiences must be inspiring and engaging. She has a special interest in bringing the arts into schools, as well as getting children out to experience live art.
Emma Jane has developed links with a number of performing arts groups in Reading over the past few years, enriching her school curriculum. Prior to working in primary education, she lectured in Fine Art and Sculpture in Further Education colleges. Her own art practice as a visual artist has encompassed both Sculpture installation and performance art.
Haimanti Kumar
Born in West Bengal, India, Haimanti Kumar graduated in Electronics Engineering (Dip) from Kolkata and completed her Masters in Hindustani Classical Music. She has a deep passion for music and arts having sung in various events and acted in various dramas. Haimanti currently lives in Southampton with her husband and 15-year-old son. A business owner by profession
of a payroll and bookkeeping firm, she has a part time involvement in a group of care homes dealing in Adults with Learning disabilities. In her spare time she hosts the Friday Drive Time show for Unity 101 FM.
Haimanti is deeply involved with the Vedic Society Hindu temple in Southampton and is part of the five member Vasant Panchami cultural committee hosting the marquee annual event in the temple’s calendar. She is very closely involved with The Hampshire Puja and Cultural Association (HPCA), a registered charity, and has a significant role in its community and cultural activities.
Haimanti’s recent achievements include organising and hosting a fashion show in London for the United Kingdom Bengali Convention comprising 62 models and an audience of more than 1,000. She is also producing a Fashion Show in Southampton on the occasion of the Diwali festival, again involving more than 60 participants. Recently produced and hosted a musical evening in the MAST theatre in Southampton with over 25 musicians and singers from all genres of Indian music. Haimanti has been a volunteer for Kala The Arts since 2000 on various projects online and live large events. She has recently been involved in KTA’s 25 years celebration journey and is proud to be involved with KTA as their trustee.
Bharti Dove
Bharti works with accountancy firms dealing with finance and bookkeeping. She brings a wealth of knowledge working and chairing various local community groups and is an active member in some of them.
Bharti was the treasurer of The Indian Association in Basingstoke from 1994 to 2013, and a committee member of Basingstoke Hindu Society from 2013 to 2017. She was the chair of Hamara Club, an Asian ladies group, for 8 years from 2016 to October 2024. Bharti organised events, exercise classes and other activities and day trips for women who either lived on their own or would otherwise have been housebound and isolated while their families were at work. She had completed voluntary work with the Dementia Group in Oakley, Basingstoke for two years until it was closed down. In the past, Bharti has volunteered with Kala The Arts on their Holiday schools programme.
Her hobbies learning and singing semi-classical and light Indian singing, reading and travelling. Bharti is well-known within the community of Basingstoke, and lives with her husband, Malcom. She has a grown-up son who works in Australia.
In Attendance (Outside bodies)
Councillor Jay Ganesh
Cllr Jay Ganesh was elected as Councillor for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council election held on Thursday 6th May 2021. He was elected as one of the three councillors from the Conservative Party to serve Sherborne St John and Rooksdown ward that covers villages around Sherborne St John, Monk Sherborne, Charter Ally, Ramsdell, Rooksdown, Sherborne Fields and Marnel Park in Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
Cllr Jay Ganesh has been deeply involved in the community and a keen conservationist who organises litter-picking and wildlife conservation events regularly in the neighbourhood. Cllr Jay Ganesh is currently serving as Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure since February 2022 and responsible for Development control, Local Plan, Infrastructure planning and Strategy.
Cllr Jay Ganesh was appointed as Councillor representative of Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council on the Board of Kala the Arts following his election as Borough Councillor in May 2021. Since he became a Councillor representative on KTA’s board, Cllr Jay Ganesh has helped Kala The Arts to deliver an outdoor Diwali Festival in 2021 and 2022 and is actively involved in various other projects.
Honourary Adviser
Manisha Tank
Award winning presenter Manisha Tank originally from Southampton, has more than 20 years broadcast experience having worked for Reuters, the BBC and CNN International. Managing a portfolio of blue chip clients, she hosts TV, radio, podcasts and large scale live events across the Asia Pacific, Middle East and UK, both in person and virtually. Manisha developed a strong interest in Indian classical dance whilst at Sixth form college. Encouraged by her mother, she went on to try different styles including Kathak, before meeting Sushmita Pati to learn Odissi. Despite moving countries multiple times and now residing in Singapore, Manisha has managed to take part in classes and continues to support Sushmita’s work at Kala the Arts.
Manisha approaches her work with intense intellectual curiosity bringing a natural and conversational style to her presentations. She anticipates audience questions and helps clients hone both narrative and mission in their communications. She is confident, personable and deeply invested in stories that make a positive contribution to society. With a background in current affairs and finance in a fast paced news environment, she deftly weaves in contemporary thoughts and ideas during interviews, to elicit relevant, dynamic and engaging content.
In addition to her broadcasting career, Manisha is also a leadership coach, further enhancing her attentive listening skills and intuitive questioning and serves on committees for non-profits such as the Oxbridge Society of Singapore and Dover Park Hospice.
Staff
Rajeev Singh
IT and Data Consultant
Rajeev Singh is an IT architect and Senior Consultant currently working with IBM UK. He has more than two decades’ of IT experience working with top consulting organisations within the IT sector. Rajeev works closely within Kala to support IT and digital day to day activities. He has been instrumental in advising on managing digital media and how to adopt best practices within the organisation to help capitalise benefits. He has been helping with social media adoption and supports orchestrating international events for Kala.
Rajeev believes that any artform should be part of social fabric and could help in building social harmony. Kala has a role to play and it could help bring closer different communities using digital and social tools.
Julie Hayward
Admin and Learning Manager
Julie Hayward joins with 35 years’ of experience working for the Civil Service and BT Group. With a background in administration for large corporate customers, Kala is a complete culture change. Julie’s extensive administration skills will help grow Kala The Arts as an organisation, in reaching as wide an audience as possible.
“I am enjoying learning all about the background to South Asian arts and meeting the
people involved, although I suspect I am never going to be a dancer!”
Helen Pritchard
Videographer
Helen has a passion for creating videos, working in both television and online web content for many years. She thoroughly enjoys working within the arts and set up her company Orchid Digital in 2012, enabling her to continue her love of filming and editing.
“Working with Kala has been very enjoyable and I love how we can create pieces that will help tell a story to an audience. I hope to continue developing my skills to create new artistic videos that will highlight and educate people.”
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