Peer Group Performance Company ~ Mentors & Friends VIDYA

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

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 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.  One of her most recent presentations was by invitation to the Earth Symposium in Vancouver, Canada to present VIDYA’s achievement and Forum Theatre to an international audience of over 500 people.  Ms. Mehta was featured on Doordarshan’s (Indian’s National Channel) “Survive to Success” cover story which focused on women who have raised the benchmark in their chosen fields.

Some of her most recent projects includes collaborating with Amader Shonglap, A Center for Communication Development, in Bangladesh to work with Males who have sex with Males (MSM), Male Sex Workers (MSW) and the Gay community of Bangladesh to craft a bridge of tolerance between the heterosexual society and the MSM, MSW and Gay community in order to harbour acceptance of sexual diversity.  In addition, Ms. Mehta is writing a book about VIDYA under the UK Arts and Humanities Research Board program and conducting a research project on renowned artists, such as Mr. Chimanbhai Nayak, of Gujarat. 

Ms. Mehta is a founder member and currently remains on the Advisory Board of Chandni, a folk dance troupe that has won several National and State-level awards.  She has personally performed the Bhavai-Garbi at various folk festivals and for Doordarshan.  Some of her past experience includes working with the Nehru Youth Centre, Lucknow specifically for the National Integration Camp as a National Artistic Programme Coordinator.  She has also done collaborative work with Shakshi, an NGO based in Delhi where she acted in the Shiva-Parvati Documentary Drama in addition to being the coordinator. Ms. Mehta has also performed in many women’s empowerment films for the Ministry of Human Resources Department (MHRD). 

Ms. Mehta previously worked as a Programme Coordinator for Darpana for Development on several projects, including collaborative ventures with UNICEF on Women’s Empowerment, Gujarat AIDS Control Society, the Ministry of Human Resources Development, New Delhi and the MacArthur Foundation before starting VIDYA. 

Ms. Mehta was trained in Forum Theatre by International and Intercultural Forum Theatre Experts: John Martin and Mojisola Adibayo.

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. Currently, he is the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ahmedabad) in addition to being the Superintendent of Police (State Crime), Government of Gujarat. He is the Founder President of Jaycees Club, Sports Promotion Committee and Traffic Awareness Committee, Gujarat. Mr. Solanki is also the President of Lion's Club - Kapadwanj, Gujarat, India as well as an honorary lecturer at the Law College, Gujarat University.  Mr. Solanki strongly believes that the poorest and those marginalized in society deserve justice and equality.

PEER GROUP PERFORMANCE COMPANY

Bharti Rathod is the youngest member and a 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.

Dipti Makwana is 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.

Rekha Rathod is a performer in the team.

Savita Solanki has worked with an NGO before joining the Company. Besides performing, she helps in documentation. She is very skilled in working with children and facilitating post-performance discussion sessions.

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

Vijay Prajapati is the newest and one of the most active members of VIDYA. He is a musician, a qualified electrical technician and also a gifted artisan. He is a very vital member of VIDYA DHARA.

FRIENDS OF VIDYA

John Martin is the founder and artisitic director of Pan Centre for Intercultural Arts, UK’s foremost company in this field.  He trained at the famous Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris after gaining a degree in drama from Bristol University.  He spent three years performing with companies such as La Mama ETC in New York, Stockholm City Theatre and the Arts Theatre in London before starting his career as director, writer, teacher and activist.

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 is a freelance theatre practitioner (director, writer, performer, researcher) whose practice encompasses physical theatre, theatre of the oppressed/theatre for liberation carnival and celebratory arts.

Trained at Goldsmith College, and with 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 lecturer in theatre at the University of Surrey and a founder member of VIDYA.

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