Nupur Zankar Academy of Performing Arts & Research Centre, based in Mumbai, is a Registered Charitable Trust under the Bombay Trust Act, 1950. This reputed arts institute enjoys exemptions under section 80G of the Income Tax Act. Founded by the renowned Kathak exponent Shila Mehta, the primary objectives of the organization are to raise awareness of the personal and societal benefits of Indian Classical Arts. In line with this vision, Nupur Zankar has been regularly organizing different cultural programs for over 20 years, under the series of 'Sanskriti Mahotsav' and 'Vande Mataram'. Such platforms are used to increase exposure to masters from different art fields, artists, gurus and performers, and typically include themes related to contemporary issues that are relevant to people of different ages. Driven by the philosophical underpinnings of Indian Classical forms, Shila Mehta’s Nupur Zankar has well-established centres across India, USA, UK, Belgium, and The Netherlands. This speaks to a conviction of using Indian cultural heritage as a medium for growth amongst people of all backgrounds. Some highlights of activity at these regions include that in 2020, Shila Mehta was commissioned by the Swindon South Asian Performing Arts Centre (SAPAC) to collaborate with local artists on a unique project exploring "Rhythm in Chaos", a piece bringing to the forefront the experience of the COVID-19 restrictions through the eyes of people diagnosed with autism. This work was supported by an Arts Council England grant awarded to SAPAC with whom Shila works regularly to embed Kathak in the region’s cultural scene. In 2019, the dance production ‘Women Speak: Inspired by Mahasati’ was toured in Belgium to communicate female power based on concepts from Indian mythology. ‘Women Speak’ was supported by the Flemish Government (Department of Youth, Culture and Media), Ghent City, Ghent Cultural Council and Ghent University. Nupur Zankar’s work is creative, impactful, met by markers of esteem, and always has at its heart the core premises of Indian Classical forms such as self-development and guru-shishya parampara. Website: https://shilamehtakathak.com
YouTube: https://bit.ly/shilamehtanupurzankar
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nupur.zankar
