The Indo-American Arts Council turns 15 this fall, and to celebrate the non-profit organization’s numerous contributions of Indian performing, visual and literary arts to New York City’s diverse cultural landscape, the IAAC is hosting a gala celebration at the Angel Orensanz Foundation for the Performing Arts (172 Norfolk Street on the Lower East Side) on Thursday, November 21 from 6 p.m. onwards. The IAAC will honour three outstanding Indian-Americans, author Salman Rushdie, filmmaker Mira Nair and Dr. Manjula Bansal, for their commitment and contributions to the global artistic community. Headlining the entertainment at the event is an Oscar-winning duo: singer/songwriter/composer Paul Williams (Oscar winner with Barbara Streisand for “Evergreen”) with pianist/composer Kenny Ascher, of “Rainbow Connection” (from The Muppet Movie) fame. Additionally, Exclusively.In will present a breath-taking runway show featuring the creativiy of iconic Delhi-based designer Manish Arora. The emcee for the evening will be comedian Dan Nainan, and some of the celebrities presenting awards and walking the red carpet include: chef and author Madhur Jaffrey, actor Sarita Choudhury (Homeland), writer and filmmaker Sabrina Dhawan, actor Sakina Jaffrey (House of Cards), author, screenwriter, producer Tracey Jackson, tabla artist and musician Suphala, Consul General of India Dhyaneshwar Mulay, Ambassador Vijay Nambiar, Ambassador Manjeev Puri, actors Reshma Shetty (Royal Pains) and Deep Katadare, just to name a few.
IAAC is the first and only Indian Arts Council in the United States representing all of the artistic disciplines, including theatre, dance, music, film, folk arts, literature and fashion. The IAAC pioneered the first annual Indian theatre, film, dance and playwright festivals in the country, as well as an annual travelling exhibition of contemporary Indian art. The IAAC’s programs attract packed audiences and amazing media coverage – ethnic, mainstream and international outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Variety, New York Daily News, NY1, CNN IBN, and Huffington Post, just to name a few.
“IAAC has been the perfect platform for nourishing and promoting Indian heritage, through the medium of performing arts, in our adopted homeland – the U.S.,” said Dr. Manjula Bansal, one of the honorees at the gala. “The IAAC has done invaluable work in creating a showcase for Indian Americans in many art forms. I’m delighted to have been a supporter from the earliest days,” said author and IAAC supporter Salman Rushdie. “Love and salaams to dynamic Aroon and the IAAC for bringing us our cinema for 15 years. Woo Hoo!” exclaims Mira Nair whose film Monsoon Wedding closed the first IAAC film festival.
Tables at the gala range in value from $5,000 to $25,000, and individual tickets are available for $500. For more information and to purchase your advance tickets, please visit www.iaac.us.
For a quick 30-second look at the gala event, Click here. For the 15 years of IAAC promo video, Click here. Interviews and images are available upon request. Pre-event coverage of this event is encouraged.
MEDIA CHECK-IN FOR A SPOT ON THE RED CARPET BEGINS AT 5:30 P.M. MEDIA RSVP IS REQUIRED FOR ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS.
About The Indo-American Arts Council:
The Indo-American Arts Council is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit, secular service and resource arts organization charged with the mission of promoting and building the awareness, creation, production, exhibition, publication and performance of Indian and cross-cultural art forms in North America. It is passionate about showcasing, celebrating and building an awareness of artists and artistic disciplines of Indian origin in the performing, literary, visual and folk arts. For further information please visit www.iaac.us.
In tribute to Nelson Mandela