The Odissi Profiles: Aroon Shivdasani

Aroon Shivdasani

Ms. Aroon Shivdasani is the Executive Director and founding member of the Indo-American Arts Council: a council created to "build an awareness of Indian artists and artistic
disciplines(performing, visual, literary and folk arts) in North
America."

Aroon Shivdasani's laughter and joi de vivre are her signatures. She believes life is not a dress rehearsal, embraces life completely and intensely. She has lived in India, England, Canada and the United States, travelled extensively all over the world, is interested in every aspect of life and has friends of all cultures, ages and religions.

Executive Director and founding member of the Indo-American Arts Council, Aroon is passionate about its mission to build an awareness of Indian artists and artistic disciplines(performing, visual, literary and folk arts) in North America.

A Masters Degree in English literature and drama, Aroon has worked in marketing, advertising, media research, taught both school and college, run a theatre company in Canada, been a docent at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, been Editor of the Junior League Newsletter, acted, danced, painted, thrown pots, worked in ceramics and stained glass. She left her position as Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing & English literature and VP of her husband's marketing company, to take on her current position in 1998.

Immersed in the arts, Aroon concieved and produced the first Festival of Indian Theatre in North America, annual Playwrights Festivals in conjunction with the Lark Theatre, several film premiers, two annual film festivals one of New Films from India at MOMA and the other of Indian Independent & Indian diaspora films, an annual Erasing Borders visual art exhibition, as well as myriad fascinating theatre, film, dance, music, literary and fine arts events under the auspices of The Indo-American Arts Council.

Equally passionate about humanity, Aroon has always supported and worked for social causes through the arts: raising money and awareness for FREA India (front for rapid economic advancement of India), The Spastics Society, SAKHI(prevention of domestic violence), CRY (child relief and you), Project India (the street children of Bombay), victims of the Maharashtra and Gujarat earthquakes, prevention of communal violence in Gujarat, the Tsunami and several more. Aroon was an active participant in the raising of money and final placement of a Jagdish Bhagwati Chair for Indian Politics & Economy at Columbia University.

President of the Indo-American Arts Council Board of Directors, Aroon sits on the Boards of the Queens Museum of Art, The Lark Play Development Company, Nayikas Dance Company, Rave Magazine, Save Bombay Group. Aroon also sits on the Advisory Boards of several other art and charity organizations, as well as the juries of the Emmys, beauty contests, grants, art, film and theatre contests.

She has received Outstanding Citizen awards from the City of New Rochelle, NY in 1988 "for the organization and execution of a French Fete to commemorate the 200th anniversary of New Rochelle"; the NY State Assembly in 2001 "for working to build an awareness of Indian artistic disciplines in New York City, to raise money & social conciousness for domestic violence victims, earthquake victims and the victims of AIDS"; from the City Council, NYC in 2002,"for exemplary service to the community"; and an Honor & Appreciation award from the Gathering International Health Professions Network, Greater Hudson Valley "for untiring efforts to serve the community".

Aroon's priority above all is her family: the one she was born into and the one she has nurtured with her husband Indur and daughters Sacha and Misha. Their unconditional love and support is her grounding.