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India International Film Festival of Boston (IIFFB) engages the cultural diversity of India through our programming. India with its many languages, religions, and traditions offers a challenge to share all of its unique stories. The IIFFB programming committee and staff are committed to open minds, change perceptions and engage one another as we explore the films that highlight the story of “us”.

Razia is an avid Urdu short stories writer. She founded Urdu literary groups where world-renowned Urdu writers participate in various literary discussions. She also founded an online News and Video portal, BDC TV, which specializes in the entertainment industry, particularly Bollywood (Indian Film Industry.)

Razia founded the India International Film Festival of Boston in 2018. India International Film Festival of Boston (IIFFB) engages the cultural diversity of India through our programming. India with its many languages, religions, and traditions offers a challenge to share all of its unique stories. The IIFFB programming committee and staff are committed to open minds, change perceptions and engage one another as we explore the stories that highlight the story of us.

Originally, I am from India. I migrated to the USA in 1980. I did high school with M.Sc in Chemistry from Aligarh Muslim University, India, followed by M.Sc in Organic Chemistry from Canada and Dr. Technische Chemie (US Equivalent, Ph.D.) from Vienna.

My Hobbies are Photography, pool and Programming. I created and originally lead the Linux Xfree port to Windows Open Source Project at http://xfree.cygwin.com (I am no more active at it.) I also ported EMBL’s WHAT IF Protein Modeling software for Unix to Windows. It was a long project, of porting hundreds of thousands of computer code to Windows and fixing bugs. find more about me at ssiddiqi.com

Tapasya is US trained Internist She is ABIM certified in Internal medicine She is a PCP and runs her own practice in Andover. Her passion is Movies, fashion, films, and cooking. She started her journey with BDCTV with Razia from its inception. She did her cooking show with BDCTV. She then did a series of talk show called ‘Salute to heroes’ during the pandemic last year. She became involved with IIFFB since 2018. She is now working passionately to bring IIFFB to greater heights.

Brahmanand S Siingh feels passionate about Music, Cinema, Literature, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Excellence, Innovation, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Mindful, Meaningful, Joyous Living.

He is a REX-Karmaveer Chakra Awardee (an UN-driven International award for bringing about positivity in people’s mindsets through one’s works) and a National-Award-winning filmmaker, author, and speaker. Known for making award-winning feature films and feature-documentaries on subjects like RD Burman, Jagjit Singh, Human Trafficking & Child Labor, Backpacking traveling, Educational Excellence, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and many other sensitive and exciting subjects, he is a much sought after speaker and writer across platforms.

He can be reached out at www.brahmanandsingh.com / www.mobiusfilms.net

Zaigham Imam is an award-winning Indian film Writer and Director known for his critically acclaimed films Nakkash (2019), Alif (2017) and Dozakh in Search of Heaven (2015). He has written two novels ‘Main Mohabbat” and ‘Dozakh’. His novel ‘Dozakh’ is included as reference material of several universities in India. Religious identity and communal harmony have emerged as key themes in his work.

Dr. Suraja Menon Roychowdhury is a Chinese Medicine practitioner and owner of Crossing Point Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Lexington, MA. She is also an award-winning poet who writes in the Japanese and Chinese traditional forms of haiku, tanka, and haibun. Her poetry has been published in Oriental Poetry anthologies as well in journals and the Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun. She teaches Advanced Haiku online. Besides writing, she loves reading, Indian classical music, and travel.

I feel honored to be part of this esteemed, upcoming event, the IIFFB of Boston 2019. This is an important platform for issues for society to take up. Growing up in India, at a young age I was introduced to Hindi Cinema and films from England and the USA. I remember looking forward to the newsreels followed by the Disney cartoons. My uncle was one of the earlier pioneers of the Hindi Cinema; a financier, exhibitor, distributor that exposed me to this industry and helped me to a cultivated love & passion for classic black & white movies, music, and later enjoying Operas and Broadway shows. I am compassionate about travels to other countries and their exposure to culture. I studied for a Masters’s degree in Archeology and later worked in the finance industry for 28 years.

Sonali Doshi is a resident of Lexington, MA, and mother of 2 children, ages 14 and 12. Prior to this, she and her family lived in Bangalore, India, where they took a temporary move from Somerville, MA. While in India she started Eco Earth Bags to supply environmentally friendly shopping bags to local stores and corporate companies. She started this business to sensitize people to the critical importance of living an eco-friendly life. We all must be sensitive to the needs of all living beings and for future generations.

Upon her return to MA, Sonali joined as a volunteer in Lexington Public Schools Green Team and focused on educating everyone about the importance of composting, recycling, reusing, and repurposing our waste. Sonali has also volunteered for many causes both in the US and in India. In recent times, when the second wave of Covid 19 hit India, she founded Raahat, an essential supply drive to serve the daily wagers and migrant workers in Bangalore. Together with her team and the generous donors, they served nearly 1700 families with a 2-weeks supply of groceries and other essentials. Sonali is passionate about music and has a group named Sonali’s Music Room on Facebook and conducts monthly music sessions. Like minded people from the community join these sessions to share common interests and stories while listening to old and new songs of Hindi cinema.

Sonali Doshi – I am excited to be on board WFC and look forward to helping make a difference.

She has worked in the medical device industry as a director of patient safety for more than 15 years. She is very passionate about music, cinema and literature. Over the last 10 years, she has organized many music concerts and plays from renowned artists from India such as Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Shridhar Phadke, Dr. Saleel Kulkarni, Rahul Deshpande, Prashant Damle, through her non-profit organization, Kalavaibhav.
She is also a part Marathi Cinema Boston, through which many Marathi movies have been screened for the Boston audience over the last several years.
She has also been a co-producer of 3 Marathi movies made in the last 3 years – Shubha Lagna Savdhan, Wedding Cha Shinema and Ekda Kay Zala. She has also acted in a short role in the movie, Shubha Lagna Savdhan.

Sugandha Gopal is an Attorney licensed in New York. She is a pageant coach and mentor. She was crowned MrsBharatUSA2017, MrsIndiaEarth2018, MrsEarthInternationalAir2019. She is also a theater actor with SETU and Bravo Arts. She believes that art and culture is a powerful medium to bridge the cultural gap and celebrate diversity.

Manisha Jain has been a leader in the education sector in the Boston area for the past 25 years. Passionate about intellectual as well as creative pursuits, Manisha enjoys undertaking new challenges that transform visions into reality by efficient execution. A collaborator and team player to the core, Manisha has been actively involved in the community as a volunteer for several organizations such as Ekal Vidyalaya, Palakurthi Foundation, Hindi Manch, Saheli, and Triveni School of Dance, among others, wherein she likes to lead silently and by example. In all her endeavors, Manisha strives to abide by her credo of pursuing excellence coupled with lifelong learning and giving, and values that as the single most important individual trait for success and contentment in life. Manisha lives in Dover, MA with her husband and younger sister, and loves having her two daughters visit home as often as they can! In 2020, Manisha started the “Sew We Care” initiative that was instrumental in donating close to 25,000 pieces of homemade PPE to local hospitals and organizations. Recently, Manisha was honored as one of the 20 outstanding women of 2020 -21 by India New England News and was awarded the “Excellence in Community Service in Healthcare” award for the year!

My name is Shalini Dixit and I am a Gen X child born in a small town in India. I've achieved Masters Degree in Psychology with the specialization in Counseling. I am also trained in Indian classical music and have 'Visharad' degree (Bachelor of Music) in Hindi classical. I wear many hats…I am a wife, a mother, a business woman, a Rj, a volunteer, a leader, a team member and so on… I was working with a multinational company when I decided to take a break from it and give my full attention to radio. I'm Co-founder and CEO of Shuddh Desi Radio which is a web based radio which can be listened from anywhere in the world via our website and/or apps. Shuddh Desi Radio is very popular among south east asian community. Almost 100,000 listeners enjoy our shows regularly. I host weekly shows on radio and I have connected with 45000 listeners through my 750 hrs of radio programs.

I am a pharmacist, a fashion model, a dancer, a theater artist, and an IIFFB red carpet host. As I walk down the ramp of my life, empowered by my skills, knowledge, and my passion for life, I look into the eyes of the world through the camera lens. The feeling of glamour, beauty, and sheer joy is unparallel and strengthens my belief in the metamorphosed Femina…the all-powerful.

Started my career with modeling with Prahlad Kakkar as my Godfather, gave me a break in his commercial for Nescafe then went on doing major ads did almost a few hundred ads
In 1992 when the first satellite channel Zee TV started in India I started my acting career with Banegi- apni- baat , Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya ji, Kashmakash, dil se dosti, pyaar ki kashti mei and many more Feature films I did was Apradhi with Anil Kapoor, Joggers park, Gayab, Dor, Yours emotionally and few more…

Aniruddha (Andy) Sathe, an IT Specialist by profession is a long time Tennessee Native. He is an ardent fan of music and has appeared on TV show back in India. Having spent the majority of time in Nashville- Country Music Capital of the World, he was missing the Hindi (Bollywood) Music that he grew up listening to. He recognized the need of the growing South Asian – Indian Subcontinent population. This niche was missing the music and infotainment segment and was very passionate about doing something. With big radio stations not focusing on this niche, he set his eyes on having some infotainment medium. He found an equally passionate partner, Shalini and they both founded and launched “Shuddh Desi Radio” in March, 2018. Since the launch of this Radio, this Radio has grown and has added listeners continually. Today this is one of most Popular Radio stations in the US for people of the Indian Subcontinent. He is both a Radio host and founder of this Radio and has been very instrumental in growing the Radio. He has represented Shuddh Desi Radio at various important events such as Indian PM’s visit to the US, Miss Universe Pageant and many cultural and society building events.

Razia Mashkoor

Suhaib Siddiqi

Tapasya Srivastava

Brahmanand Singh

Zaigham Imam

Dr. Suraja Menon Roychowdhury

Dr. Rohit Chandra

Meera Siddharth

Sonali Doshi

Arundhati Datye

Sugandha Gopal

Manisha Jain

Shalini Dixit

Anu Sharma

Ikhlaq Khan

Bini Dang and Harish Dang

Aniruddha (Andy) Sathe

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