Peer Group Performance Company ~ Mentors & Friends VIDYA

Ms. Manisha Mehta is the Artistic Director, Managing Trustee, and Co-founder of VIDYA.  

She is a multidimensional person with a skills and patients fot the theatre,music.livemedia,theatre for development and business managment. With over 1000 productions & performances and over 500 workshops to her credit, Ms. Mehta continues to work at the grassroots level in both urban and rural areas of Asia and Canada.  She has worked on projects with UNICEF on Women's Empowernment, Gujarat AIDS control society the ministry of human resource development and the Macarthur foundation and as programmes co-ordinator for Darpana development. She shares her experience with many University students and gave presentations nationally as well as International. She has over 15 years of experience in the theatre for community development and is considered an expert on Forum Theatre (Theatre for Development) and Community Project Planning and Design. Using forum theatre to discuss woman issue and girl child literacy in the slums has been a struggle However, looking back at where VIDYA began, were it is today & where it is held at tomorrow. Manisha can honestly say that this struggle is very close to her heart, it embodies her identity and her personal struggle to have her presence acknowledged.

Mr. N.D. Solanki, IPS is VIDYA’s Legal Advisor. He holds the following academic degrees- M.Com, LLB and CS. He belongs to the 1992 batch of the Indian Police Services. Mr. Solanki strongly believes that the poorest and those marginalized in society deserve justice and equality.

Ms. Biraj Jhaveri is very enthusiastic and dedicated personality.she is witnessed of VIDYA's journey since 2004 performing vital role as an administrator

PEER GROUP PERFORMANCE COMPANY

Bharti Rathod is very active performer of the Company.

Bhikhiben Thakor is a senior member of the Company and was also part of VIDYA’s initial research team. She has worked previously with another NGO in Ahmedabad and is an influential leader in her community. She played an instrumental role in evacuating bootleggers from her area.

Shahin Shaikh is the youngest and an active member of the Company. Besides performing, she also helps in developing scripts and writing reports.

Kalu Rathod is a folk artiste, percussionist and singer. He is a very enthusiastic member of the team.

Mehmudaben Sheikh has had previous work experience in an NGO before joining the Performance Company.

Raniben Rathod used to work in a ceramic factory before joining VIDYA. She learned to read and write after joining the Company, and is an inspirational member of the team.

Suresh Bhatti is an actor, folk artiste and a very talented singer. He also plays the harmonium.

Ramesh bhai is the newest and one of the most active members of VIDYA. He is a singer, musician and also a gifted artisan. He is a very vital member of VIDYA

FRIENDS OF VIDYA

John Martin is the founder and artisitic director of Pan Centre for Intercultural Arts in London UK.Dedicated to using the arts for social change it'work deals with the violence, resisam, and troma in the UK.and this methodology has been used to establish group in many other country. John trained as an actor and dancer and has directed over 70 productions world wide.he is also a writer and trainer and uses these skills now to bring the possibilities of empowernment to theatre to University students,refugees, victims of crimes,slumdwellers,social workers,psychologist impoverist villagers in developing countries and those affected by war.he knows that theatre can change lives.

With over 50 productions to his credit in countries as widespread as Sweden, Germany, France, Nigeria, Kenya, USA, South Africa and India.  His knowledge of world performance traditions is unique in this country.

Mojisola Adebayo work fulltime as a lecturer in Drama & Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths Univerisity of London. she is theatre artist (director, writer, performer, researcher).she is practising theatre in educational, community & social contexts.

She is Trained at Goldsmith College,and wide experience of working with Cardboard Citizens (London theatre group), London Bubble, Pan Centre for Intercultural Arts, she has gone on to teach theatre for social change to community workers in Cape Town, theater workshops for asylum seekers in Dublin, and devising and directing forum theatre performances for Ashtar Theatre in Ramallah Palestine (Abu Shaker’s Affairs).

she is a founder member & mentor of VIDYA.

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