Chaitimeradio

In this show we talk with famous playback singer Shaan about his music and upcoming show for Sankara Eye Foundation, “Shaan Live in Concert with Li’L Champs and Ambini Menon” on Friday May 22, 7:30pm at Flint Center, DeAnza College, Cupertino, CA. Don't miss the great extravaganza and support the great cause of Gift of Vision.

In this show we talk to Sankara Eye Foundation volunteers Sumanth Rajagopal, Padmini Chelluri and young volunteer Sringala about their upcoming fundraiser “Shaan Live in Concert with Li’L Champs and Ambini Menon” on Friday May 22, 7:30pm at Flint Center, DeAnza College, Cupertino, CA. In this show, we talk to Sankara Volunteers about their goal of 20/20 vision for the people of India by the year 2020. We also talk about other events like Sevathon and the work Sankara volunteers are doing with the youth in USA. Information about Sankara Eye Foundation and upcoming concert can be found here.

In this show we celebrate Mother's day. Congratulations and Best wishes to all moms in the world.

In this episode of ChaiTime we enjoy all time hit love songs written by Gulzar. Gulzar is one of the most respected and influential lyricist, director and poet from Hindi film industry. Gulzar has been awarded with Padma Bhushan, Sahitya academy award, Dada Saheb Phalke award and Academy award for best original song, Jai Ho. Along with these he has won numerous Filmfare and national awards.

In this ChaiTime we talk to journalist and author Sandip Roy about his maiden book, "Don’t Let Him Know". Sandip Roy is a Senior Editor at Firstpost.com and blogs for the Huffington Post. He has been a longtime commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition and has a weekly radio program for public radio in the San Francisco Bay Area called "Sandip Roy’s Dispatches from Kolkata". He is also an editor with New America Media. Sandip lives in Kolkata. In this show, besides talking about the book, we also discuss a wide range of topics about him changing his profession, his writing process, his journey from India to Bay Area and back, the state of the LGBT movement and women in India, immigration, class system, the current political scene in India, his family, and his future plans.

In this ChaiTime show, we talk with the NAATAK team about their upcoming play तो सम पुरुष, न मो सम नारी (No man like you, no woman like me) which is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s outrageous comedy, Taming of the Shrew. This adaptation is in Bundelkhandi, a dialect of Hindi spoken in the region of central India which is now divided between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This is the first Shakespearean play in Naatak’s 20-year history! In this show, we talk to Director Manish Sabu and Rajiv Nema about their upcoming play, their reason for using Bundelkhandi, the challenges of casting, as well as the illustrious 20 years journey of NAATAK. Manish Sabu has been associated with NAATAK for more than 19 years. His association with NAATAK started with their 4th production, Ek Tha Gadhaa urf Aladad Khan. Since then he has worked as an actor, producer and director in various NAATAK productions. He directed NAATAK’s 33rd production Tuglaq and is now back as the director for their first Shakespeare

Shailendra’s Ji’s poetic genius was in his ability to convey the deepest of human feelings in simplest of the words. Simplicity and sincerity of his expressions made his songs immortal. The legendary team of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra, Hasrat-Jaipuri, Shankar-Jaikishan, and Mukesh are attributed with creating some of the most popular compositions in Hindi film music. Many of his songs like, Mera Joota Hai Japaniand Aawara Hoon met with popularity beyond the borders of India and are still popular in many countries worldwide including former Soviet Union, China and Middle East. In this ChaiTime, we relive his life and legacy with his son, Manoj Shailendra. Manoj Ji has personally witnessed unfolding of the ethereal events which have resulted in creation of the iconic and memorable music, Hindi film industry has ever experienced. Manoj himself is an accomplished musician and has worked with greats like S.D. Burman and Rahul Dev Burman. In this special interview, Manoj Ji has been kind enough to share some of the

Indian subcontinent can boast to have the widest range of musical variety in the world. While the music from Indian film industry dominates the popular culture, other forms for music like classical, sufi, folk and regional are also equally popular and recognized parts of the mainstream music. But as creativity and desire to express has no limits or boundaries there have always been independent groups and musical bands from Indian subcontinent which have stretched the imagination of masses and the boundaries of the music. Last few years the independent music scene has witnessed the transformation on a more rapid pace. More and more musicians are interested in creating original material and there is a new spirit of innovation and creativity. This has also fuelled by availibitiy of platforms like MTV, Coke Studio, Dewarists as well as ability to distribute music directly on the Internet. In this Chaitime we celebrate the free spirit of some old and some new muscians, groups and bands. We will enjoy music fro

In this show we talk with Rajiv Nema and Mukund Marathe about the upcoming NAATAK production Andhera Hone Tak as well as their journey as part of NAATAK and other bay area theater groups. Andhera Hone Tak is a Hindi adaptation of Frederick Knott’s famous play Wait Until Dark. A twisty piece of suspense, the play focus on a blind woman who is terrorized by thugs. The film version, also titled Wait Until Dark that was released in 1967, had Audrey Hepburn in the lead role. The play is from November 15-23 at Cubberley Theater, Palo Alto, CA. The play will have subtitles in English for non Hindi audience. Mukund Marathe, director of this play, is a theater enthusiast. He has acted in 4 Naatak plays, directed God of Carnage and translated a play from Marathi into Hindi. He is also founder member and President of California Arts Association - CalAA. Mukund is interested in drama, one-act plays and short films. He is associated with California Arts Association - CalAA for more than 12 years and has been followin

French poet Victor Hugo has said, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”. In this ChaiTime show, we will take you to the magical journey where the words will melt into music and music will fill the silence. We will be talking to, the renowned master Jazz saxophonist and Hindustani Classical Musician Phil Scarff and he is going to take us into the enchanting land of sur, taal,and raaga. Phil is a master jazz saxophonist who is pioneering the performance of North Indian classical music on soprano saxophone, exquisitely capturing the subtlety and depth of this music on this Western instrument. He also leads the acclaimed world-jazz ensemble, Natraj. Phil received extensive training in Hindustani music in Pune, India, from vocalist Pt. Shreeram Devasthali, leading sundari artist Pt. Suryakant Khaladkar, and shehnai master Pt. Shyamrao Lonkar, and in Boston, USA, from sitar master Peter Row, and vocalists Kalpana Mazumdar and Warren Senders. Phil has performe

In this episode we celebrate Amitabh Bachchan's birthday. We listen to his memorable dialogues, recitation of Madhushala and some of memorable songs from his movies many of them in his own voice. For Hindi Lovers : http://chai-time-radio.tumblr.com/post/100338534973/aaye-tum-yaad-mujhe-celebrating-amitabh-bachchans

In this show we celebrate R D Burman's music with some of his most loved songs.

The “Klose to My Soul” mega concert at the SAP Center in San Jose on May 25 was the first of the three fundraising concert with Bollywood megastar Sonu Nigam presented by Sankara Eye Foundation(SEF). This sold out show was a night to remember for the 8,500 attendees who anxiously waited to see the marvelous and irresistible Sonu Nigam perform live. The symphony orchestra band members, dressed in white tuxedos, were welcomed lovingly by the audience with loud cheers and applause. The band members reciprocated with an awe-inspiring performance and complimented an extraordinary artist like Sonu Nigam very well. In this show we present excerpts from Sonu Nigams press conference and interview with Sankara Eye foundation Volunteers. The event was successful for SEF in many fronts. In addition to connecting with the Bay area community, SEF accomplished its fundraising goals by raising funds towards construction of their next hospital in Jodhpur, Rajasthan and expansion of the hospital in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Pl

Sonu Nigam is one of the very loved and respected singers from Indian Movie Industry. In this show we play some of his hit songs and wish him all the best for his upcoming live performance at SAP center, San jose, CA on May 25th. This is a charity show to help Sankara Eye Foundation.

Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli - Golden voice of Manna De by ChaiTimeRadio

In this Chaitime Show, we talk to Dr. David Szanton, President of Ethnic Art Foundation(EAF), about his journey and experiences on preserving the traditional art of Madhubani or Mithila paintings practiced in the region of Mithila in Bihar, India. David talks about The Mithila Art Institute (MAI), a free art school in Madhubani town, founded by EAF with the hope that the MAI would encourage the development of a new generation of Mithila painters. Now eight years later it has graduated some 180 students, many having received national and even international recognition. David also describes many paintings which are dear to him and those paintings are included in this blog. To see the photographs of Madhubani paintings and more details visit: http://chai-time-radio.tumblr.com/post/77609470053/chaitime-with-dr-david-szanton-on-mithila-paintings

In this Chaitime we talk to accomplished Hindustani Classical singer Madhuvanti Bhide. Born and raised in Pune, India, Madhuvanti’s fascination with singing started at an early age. Madhuvanti’s golden voice and poignant rendering is a powerful combination that indeed captivates audiences wherever she performs. Madhuvanti has been residing in the Bay area for more than twelve years and has given sparkling performances, time and again. She has received training from N.V.Diwan, Dr Alka Deo Marulkar, and for a brief period, from Pt. Arun Dravid, a renowned exponent of Jaipur Gharana. She has released two albums “Arpan" and "Ase Sur Gave”. In 1991, Madhuvanti was awarded the sangeet visharad degree by the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Pune. In this show Madhuvanti is also joined by Shraddha Joglekar, Artistic Director of Kalavishkar to talk about their upcoming performance Sur-Nartan. You can enjoy this enchanting evening of Indian Classical culture - a union of Hindustani vocal and Bharatnatyam dance on Jan 25,

In this Chaitime we talk to Mahmood Farooqui about Dastangoi and also listen to few excerpts from his live shows. Dastangoi is the once thriving art of Urdu storytelling in North India which came to an abrupt end with the death of the last great practitioner in 1928. Farooqui is credited with almost single-handedly reviving a traditional performance art of story-telling, dastangoi. He has published on this subject, and received awards for his cultural work in this arena. His engagement with dastangoi is more than scholarly, however. Farooqui is a performance artist who is reviving this art form through his own practice. His performances have been critically acclaimed. Farooqui is also known for his film Peepli Live (2010), a scathing critique of post-liberalization media culture and politics in India, which he co-directed. For more information on this art form see:http://dastangoi.blogspot.com/

In this Chaitime show, we talk to Anusha in-depth about her movie Peepli Live, which has attained a status of cult movie in India. Peepli Live is a 2010 Indian satirical comedy film that explores the topic of “farmer suicides” and the subsequent media and political responses. It is written and directed by Anusha Rizvi as her directorial debut. It has been three years since the movie was released but the ideas presented are still relevant.

In this Chaitime we talk to the team from Sankara Eye Foundation, USA and Sankara Eye Care Institutions, India who are working tirelessly to make the goal of Sankara’s mission of eradicating preventable blindness a reality. The guests, Sundar Radhakrishnan, C.N. Srivatsan, Murali Krishnamurthy, Dr. Kaushik Murali and Bharath Balasubramaniam were here in San Francisco to attend the Symposium, “Scaling Up Social Impact,” organized by the SEF. Sankara’s achievements are big but their goals are bigger still. SEF and SECI working together have achieved phenomenal progress. They have gone from one eye hospital and 8,000 eye surgeries to 1 million free eye surgeries this year at nine state of the art hospitals all over India. Their plan is to build 20 hospitals by 2020: Vision 20/20 by 2020. In today’s show, we talk to our guests about the challenges and opportunities they see. Also, we get an in-depth view of the operations, organizational capabilities, and innovations being made by Sankara to provide eye ca