Dr. Rafiq Dossani
Nagesh Kukunoor
Piyush Dinker Pandya
Suri Gopalan
Raj Singh
Sanjay Talreja
Sharmishta Roy
Dr. Rafiq Dossani
Dr. Dossani is a consulting professor at the Asia/Pacific Research Center in Stanford University. He serves as an advisor to India's Securities and Exchange Board in the area of venture-capital reform. Dr. Dossani was the CEO of the Robert Fleming Investment Banking group in India and later the head of its San Francisco operations. He has also been the chairman and CEO of a stock broking firm on the OCTEI exchange in India, the deputy editor of the Business India Weekly, and a professor of finance at Pennsylvania State University. He holds a B.A. in economics from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, India; an M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, India; and a Ph.D. in finance from Northwestern University.
Dr. Dossani is a consulting professor at the Asia/Pacific Research Center in Stanford University. He serves as an advisor to India's Securities and Exchange Board in the area of venture-capital reform. Dr. Dossani was the CEO of the Robert Fleming Investment Banking group in India and later the head of its San Francisco operations. He has also been the chairman and CEO of a stock broking firm on the OCTEI exchange in India, the deputy editor of the Business India Weekly, and a professor of finance at Pennsylvania State University. He holds a B.A. in economics from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, India; an M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, India; and a Ph.D. in finance from Northwestern University.
Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh produced, directed and acted in his debut film Hyderabad Blues that became the largest grossing independent Indian film made in English. The film won the audience award at the Peachtree International Film Festival in Atlanta and the Rhode Island Film Festival. His next film 3deewarein starring Naseeruddin Shah and Jackie Shroff is scheduled to be released soon. He has also written and directed Rockford and Bollywood Calling (starring Om Puri)
Nagesh produced, directed and acted in his debut film Hyderabad Blues that became the largest grossing independent Indian film made in English. The film won the audience award at the Peachtree International Film Festival in Atlanta and the Rhode Island Film Festival. His next film 3deewarein starring Naseeruddin Shah and Jackie Shroff is scheduled to be released soon. He has also written and directed Rockford and Bollywood Calling (starring Om Puri)
Harish Saluja
Filmmaker, engineer, painter and writer, Harish Saluja wears many hats. Harish produced and directed his debut movie “The Journey” starring Roshan Seth and Saeed Jafferey. The Journey was screened in over 20 film festivals around the world and won Best Film awards in Florida and Cleveland film festivals. He was also the associate producer of Tony Buba's No Pets, a feature film shown in the London Film Festival, and was executive producer of the feature film Dog Eat Dog. He has acted in various commercials and industrials and also acted in the Walt Disney film Money for Nothing.
Filmmaker, engineer, painter and writer, Harish Saluja wears many hats. Harish produced and directed his debut movie “The Journey” starring Roshan Seth and Saeed Jafferey. The Journey was screened in over 20 film festivals around the world and won Best Film awards in Florida and Cleveland film festivals. He was also the associate producer of Tony Buba's No Pets, a feature film shown in the London Film Festival, and was executive producer of the feature film Dog Eat Dog. He has acted in various commercials and industrials and also acted in the Walt Disney film Money for Nothing.
Piyush Dinker Pandya
AMERICAN DESI was Piyush's first feature venture and pioneered the genre of NRI films being the first film to secure a worldwide distribution deal and be seen by commercial movie going audiences around the world. Piyush's writing and directing style struck a chord with NRI's around the world making AMERICAN DESI one of the most successful Indian films of 2001. Currently he is in pre-production on his next film, another romantic comedy about NRIs. He has also directed and produced the sitcom 'Under One Roof' and worked on the production of New Line Cinema's 'Hangin' With The Homeboys'.
AMERICAN DESI was Piyush's first feature venture and pioneered the genre of NRI films being the first film to secure a worldwide distribution deal and be seen by commercial movie going audiences around the world. Piyush's writing and directing style struck a chord with NRI's around the world making AMERICAN DESI one of the most successful Indian films of 2001. Currently he is in pre-production on his next film, another romantic comedy about NRIs. He has also directed and produced the sitcom 'Under One Roof' and worked on the production of New Line Cinema's 'Hangin' With The Homeboys'.
Lachmi Khemlani
An architect by training, Dr. Khemlani specializes in computer-aided design (CAD) in architecture, and works as an independent author, instructor, researcher, and consultant. She has taught CAD courses at the University of California at Berkeley for several years, and is working on her second CAD book to be published by McGraw-Hill. She frequently contributes articles and product reviews in industry publications, and is on the Advisory Board of Cadence, a leading publication in the CAD field. She holds three degrees in Architecture: a B.Arch. (Hons) from IIT Kharagpur, an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, UK, and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley.
An architect by training, Dr. Khemlani specializes in computer-aided design (CAD) in architecture, and works as an independent author, instructor, researcher, and consultant. She has taught CAD courses at the University of California at Berkeley for several years, and is working on her second CAD book to be published by McGraw-Hill. She frequently contributes articles and product reviews in industry publications, and is on the Advisory Board of Cadence, a leading publication in the CAD field. She holds three degrees in Architecture: a B.Arch. (Hons) from IIT Kharagpur, an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, UK, and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley.
Suri Gopalan
A career entrepreneur in the entertainment business, Suri Gopalan has been a pioneer in the South Asian Entertainment Business in the United States. With over seventeen years of experience in North America, his companies include Vista India, the largest distributor of Indian music in North America, and the Raaga Music Store Chain, the only full line Indian music store chain in the United States. Combined turnover of these enterprises is approximately $10 million. His current start up, Cinebella which he is the CEO of, is co-founded along with acclaimed Hollywood Producer Deepak Nayar and renowned Bombay-based Ad Filmmaker Mahesh Mathai to the growing interest in high quality Asian alternative feature films. Cinebella's Beyond Bollywood series has received rave reviews in mainstream U.S press. Suri Gopalan holds a Masters in International Business from Columbia University, New York and a Masters in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
A career entrepreneur in the entertainment business, Suri Gopalan has been a pioneer in the South Asian Entertainment Business in the United States. With over seventeen years of experience in North America, his companies include Vista India, the largest distributor of Indian music in North America, and the Raaga Music Store Chain, the only full line Indian music store chain in the United States. Combined turnover of these enterprises is approximately $10 million. His current start up, Cinebella which he is the CEO of, is co-founded along with acclaimed Hollywood Producer Deepak Nayar and renowned Bombay-based Ad Filmmaker Mahesh Mathai to the growing interest in high quality Asian alternative feature films. Cinebella's Beyond Bollywood series has received rave reviews in mainstream U.S press. Suri Gopalan holds a Masters in International Business from Columbia University, New York and a Masters in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Linda Hess
Linda Hess is a lecturer of Religious Studies at the Stanford University. Specializing in Hinduism, she has written much about the poetry of North India's great 15th and 16th- century "poet- saints", their ongoing popularity and influence, and modes of performing their works. Her research and teaching interests include poetry of religious experience, gender, performance, and reception of religious texts and practices by people in different social and historical circumstances. Publications include The Bijak of Kabir(translations and essays) and articles on interpretation and performance of the Ramayana. She is also a great enthusiast and supporter of South Asian cinema.
Linda Hess is a lecturer of Religious Studies at the Stanford University. Specializing in Hinduism, she has written much about the poetry of North India's great 15th and 16th- century "poet- saints", their ongoing popularity and influence, and modes of performing their works. Her research and teaching interests include poetry of religious experience, gender, performance, and reception of religious texts and practices by people in different social and historical circumstances. Publications include The Bijak of Kabir(translations and essays) and articles on interpretation and performance of the Ramayana. She is also a great enthusiast and supporter of South Asian cinema.
Raj Singh
Technology Entrpreneur, Venture Capitalist, Film Producer- Raj Singh moves with great ease between these diverse roles. A renowned technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Raj Singh has co-founded many technology companies including Cerent and Comstellar Technologies and is the co-founder of the VC firm, Redwood Ventures. Passionate about films, he has founded Kundalini Pictures- a production company that has produced critically acclaimed films such as Maya and Leela.
Technology Entrpreneur, Venture Capitalist, Film Producer- Raj Singh moves with great ease between these diverse roles. A renowned technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Raj Singh has co-founded many technology companies including Cerent and Comstellar Technologies and is the co-founder of the VC firm, Redwood Ventures. Passionate about films, he has founded Kundalini Pictures- a production company that has produced critically acclaimed films such as Maya and Leela.
Sanjay Talreja
Sanjay Talreja is an Assistant Professor teaching documentary and media-related classes at the University of Windsor in Canada. He is also a film-maker who has been working in the visual medium - primarily documentaries - for a number of years in India, Canada and the US. Prior to that, he was editor and producer at the prestigious Media Education Foundation in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he worked on educational documentaries on themes relating to media ownership, representation and stereotyping - working with people like Edward Said, Noam Chomsky, Bell Hooks and other prominent and progressive intellectuals. He has also worked on numerous other visual projects with overt political and social themes.
Sanjay Talreja is an Assistant Professor teaching documentary and media-related classes at the University of Windsor in Canada. He is also a film-maker who has been working in the visual medium - primarily documentaries - for a number of years in India, Canada and the US. Prior to that, he was editor and producer at the prestigious Media Education Foundation in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he worked on educational documentaries on themes relating to media ownership, representation and stereotyping - working with people like Edward Said, Noam Chomsky, Bell Hooks and other prominent and progressive intellectuals. He has also worked on numerous other visual projects with overt political and social themes.
Sharmishta Roy
Sharmishta is India's best known Art Director. She has won several awards and is best known for giving a facelift to commercial Indian Cinema. Beginning with Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), she has brought style, scale and gloss through her art direction. With a fresh perspective, a young vibe and a contemporary look she has worked in films like Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Gaja Gamini, Meenaxi to name a few.
Sharmishta is India's best known Art Director. She has won several awards and is best known for giving a facelift to commercial Indian Cinema. Beginning with Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), she has brought style, scale and gloss through her art direction. With a fresh perspective, a young vibe and a contemporary look she has worked in films like Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Gaja Gamini, Meenaxi to name a few.