• Bharati Pankaj Vora was born on 4th of July in India (Gujarat). After marriage in 1965 along with her husband Pankaj Vora settled in Mombasa Kenya. In 1975 they along with their two children Shruti and Setu moved to the UK.
• Bharati has been interested in poetry, dramas, and debate from her school days.
• Bharati has been writing more for the dignity of womanhood and her individuality.
• After retiring, she attended SOAS, university of London to study Law and graduated with LLB (Hons).
• Bharati's representative collection of poetry “Diaspora Poetry of Bharati Pankaj " was published 2012.
• Her poetry is received with interest and honour - it had been branded as "the voice of the voiceless ".
Mansukh Vaghela Houston Texas U.S.A.
Born in Jamwanthali, Gujarat, raised in Bombay, and now settled in Houston, U.S.A., Mansukh has kept interest in Gujarati alive by participating in Gujarati Literary activities.
Bachelor of Engineering B.E.(Mechanical) from University of Bombay in 1970 and Master of Education M. Ed (Mathematics) from State University of New York at Buffalo, U.S.A.
Worked as Lecturer at the University, Computer Programmer, Data Analyst, and IT Project Manager at Houston Lighting and Power Company, U.S.A. for 30+ years, now retired.
Wrote essays in High School, poetry in College, chaired Gujarati Sahitya Mandal in Engineering College and currently active in Gujarati Sahitya Sarita in Houston.
Parul Shah is an accomplished performing artist, cross-cultural choreographer, Bharatanatyam guru, dance educator, scholar, researcher, and arts administrator. With over half a century of experience in the field of dance, she is a highly motivated individual with an illustrious career.
Parul Shah holds various educational qualifications, including a B.Sc. in Physics, LLB (general), LLB (Specialization in Taxation), Ph.D., M.Mus., B.Mus., PG Dip in Nattuvangam, and a Diploma in Dance. She has also received special training in Movement Analysis and Dance Therapy.
Currently, Parul Shah serves as the Principal Investigator for the MHRD-UGC eContent PG Pathashala and MOOCs in the Swayam Project for Performing Arts Dance since 2014. She has previously held positions as Dean and Head of the Dance Department at the Maharaja Sayajirao University, serving in 1994-1996, 2012-2014, and as a Professor, Reader, and Lecturer in the same department from 1981 to 2014.
Parul Shah has been recognized for her contributions and achievements throughout her career. She has received the Government of India Senior Fellowship (2018-20), Senior Fulbright Scholarship (1992), Erasmus Mundus Heritage Scholarship from the European Union (201), and the Gujarat Rajya Gaurav Puraskar, among other accolades.
In addition to her academic and administrative roles, Parul Shah is an active practitioner of Bharatanatyam, Creative Dance, and Folk Dance. She has created numerous major dance productions, including Rajyalaksmi, Buddha Tattva, Dipta Kailash, Kanya Viday, Two Roads and a Path, Abhishap, Chetana, Shri Chandramaulishwar Kuravanji, Shri Antaryami, Nirguna, Kavi-Kavita-Gujarat, Random Graces, and many more in solo and group formats.
Since 1981, Parul Shah has been running the Anjali Memorial Committee Baroda, a dance company that performs extensively across India and abroad. She also holds the position of Special Projects Director at the International Folk Art Organization, a UNESCO body.
Parul Shah's main focus lies in expanding the horizons of Bharatanatyam, ensuring that the richness of classical dance enriches future generations. She is dedicated to nurturing the art form and its traditions while pushing boundaries and exploring new artistic expressions.
