Management
K. N. Suntook
Chairman
Mr. Khushroo N Suntook has had an illustrious career spanning over four decades in business, initially as one of the founders of India’s first mineral water company, Bisleri, and later in various senior capacities in the Tata Group. He joined the National Centre for the Performing Arts, India’s premier performing arts institution, first as the Vice-Chairman in 2000 and then as the Chairman in 2008. His tenure as Chairman of NCPA has witnessed changes which have vitalised this venerable institution.
Mr. Suntook is an avid music lover and has made a conscious effort to promote music in the city. Over the years, his passion for Western classical music has led him to visit numerous international classical music and opera festivals. He is known in the record collecting world, and speaks to international audiences on old and rare vocal recordings and has a fine collection of vintage records. In 2006, Suntook gave India its very own orchestra — The Symphony Orchestra of India which is now in its 26th season, having achieved international status after touring many cities of the world to triumphant performances. He has also established the SOI Music Academy, where advanced students are playing at a high level with the ultimate aim of joining the SOI.
The various genres which he now leads include, Indian Music at the highest level, Indian and Western Dance, Theatre and direct screening of performances from the Metropolitan Opera, New York, National Theatre, London, Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow from Pathé Live, etc., International and Jazz Music.
Nandita Anjaria
Senior Advisor (Honorary)
Having started her own company at the age of 27, Ms. Nandita Anjaria has been an entrepreneur for more than 30 years. Having been a director in many companies, she brings together managerial skills and passion for the performing arts in her role as Senior Advisor (Honorary) at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. She is also a member of the organisation’s Western Classical Music and Theatre committees. She has been instrumental in organising the Add Art Festival, a multi-genre celebration of the NCPA’s completion of 50 years.
Prashant Karkare
Director - Legal, Secretarial & Special Projects
Mr. Prashant Karkare has had a corporate career spanning over four decades across various capacities, most recently as the Vice-President of Business Improvement Group & Property Development Cell, Voltas, where he was responsible for driving initiatives such as Business Excellence, Process Improvements, Innovation, Knowledge Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Corporate Sustainability in addition to handling all the property development matters. Mr. Karkare is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Intermediate C.A and with a degree in Law from the Mumbai University. In addition, he has completed Management Programs conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and INSEAD. He has also completed Six Sigma Black Belt Programme conducted by the Sigma Institute, Glenview, Illinois, USA.
Nayan Kale
Chief Executive - Technical
Nayan Kale is the Chief Executive -Technical at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. He has spent 42 years working behind the stage at the various theatres of NCPA. Previously, he was associated with the manufacturing engineering industry for over five years. He is a qualified electrical engineer with a post-diploma in computer software system analysis and application and has also earned a post-diploma in sound recording and reproduction.
In his four decades of experience, he has spearheaded the NCPA’s engineering operations, performance management, and the maintenance of its theatres. His leadership is pivotal to the specialist technical services required for the NCPA. He attributes his successful career to his never-ending passion for theatre design. A theatre’s design encompasses stage machinery, rigging systems, performance lighting, audio-video, projection systems, and much more. He has enriched his expertise with invitations from legendary theatres, such as MET Opera USA, Royal Opera House UK, Dubai Opera Dubai, Esplanade and Star Theatre Singapore, to study their design aspects and management philosophies.
The magic on a stage requires a carefully crafted set of operations behind the stage. And he is the master of it.
Dr. Suvarnalata Rao
Head - Indian Music
Dr. Suvarnalata Rao is a senior musician and musicologist working in the field of computational musicology. Having trained as a sitar player in the Hindustani tradition, she obtained Ph. D. in music for her work in the area of psychoacoustics of music. Her other research interest is in the field of organology, for which she received the Homi Bhabha Council fellowship.
As Head – Programming (Indian Music), she programmes, curates and presents annually over 100 innovative events and festivals, representative of everything from classical to contemporary music, at the NCPA as well as venues outside Mumbai.
A recipient of several national and international Fellowships, she has been a visiting Faculty at various educational institutions across the world.
Her publications include numerous research papers and books including her dissertation, Acoustical Perspective on Raga-Rasa Theory and Raga Guide, an audio-literary production by the Nimbus Records, U. K.
Besides being an editor/co-editor of a number of music related monographs and journals, she has been responsible for developing NCPA’s unique website titled Music in Motion (www.autrimncpa.wordpress.com) which allows to hear and “see” music at the same time.
Since 2011, she is a board member of Music Council for Asia Oceania (MCAO), under the International Music Council (IMC). Recently she was honoured with Dr. Ashok Ranade Memorial Award for contribution to research in the field of Indian Music.
Farrahnaz Irani
General Manager - Chairman’s Office & International Music
Music and art being an intrinsic part of her background, Ms Farrahnaz Irani has been in the world of music for over three decades, sharing her expertise in various capacities, notably her handling of public relations and ground events for the Universal Music (India), where she managed events for Indian and international artistes.
Her key role in the promotion of art and culture at the NCPA has included assisting the Symphony Orchestra of India since its inception. She heads the International Music department at the NCPA, which requires her to conceptualise, plan and execute International Music programmes, including curation of festivals dedicated to an array of genres that present some of the biggest international names, as well as those dedicated to promoting new talent.
Swapnokalpa Dasgupta
Head - Dance
Swapnokalpa Dasgupta is a highly dedicated Odissi dancer, teacher, arts manager and curator who has been the Head of Dance Programming at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, NCPA in Mumbai for the past 7 years along with actively pursuing Odissi dance.
She has completed a postgraduate level management degree course, M.A in Arts and Heritage Management from the London Metropolitan University, London, UK and has received the prestigious Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Prativa Samman, 2019 in Odissi dance and the prestigious Kanak Nartan Puraskar 2020 from Dr. Kanak Rele’s Nalanda Nrityakala Mahavidyalaya.
She has learnt Odissi under Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She started her journey in Odissi dance with the affectionate guidance of Guru Giridhari Nayak. She has also received rigorous training from Guru Poushali Mukherjee in Kolkata and Guru Sujata Mohapatra and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra in Orissa.
Swapnokalpa has her dance school SWAPNOKALPA in Mumbai and Kolkata.She is credited for being the first Odissi teacher of the prestigious The Bhavans, London who was able to set up an Odissi dance department at the centre. The department flourished in the heart of London. Swapnokalpa continues to impart training at the London centre as a visiting faculty and had conducted the first ever Summer school for Odissi dance at the Centre in 2019.
Swapnokalpa has received the prestigious Senior National Scholarship in Odissi dance and is a graded artiste of Doordarshan. As a young performer she has received the Pratibha Samman from EZCC (Govt of India) and has performed in many prestigious dance festivals in India and overseas like England, France and Ireland. Swapnokalpa is a noted Odissi performer and regularly performs in India and abroad. Awarded First Division with Distinction in practical in 1995, 1996 and 1998 for the Diploma course in Classical Odissi Dance (Sangeet Visharad) from Pracheen Kalakendra, Chandigarh.
Awarded the prestigious All India National Scholarship (Senior) for Odissi dance by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India in 2001 (received this at the age of 18; one of the youngest dancers in India to have received this award).
Currently in the panel of artists selected by the national television network of India, Doordarshan for dance and other cultural programs organized by the network.
Some notable performances as Professional artiste
- NCPA Mudra dance festival 2019
- NCPA Mumbai dance season Finale 2020
- Kalaghoda arts festival – 2015,2017, 2018
- Unbound Beats of India of Padmashree Ranjana Gauhar, 2017
- Mahashivratri of Natyatarangini, 2019
- Natyanjali at Chidamvaram Temple
- Mamallapuram dance festival
- Uday shankar dance festival
- Kinkini dance festival of Dr Sandhya Purecha
- BHaratiya Vidya Bhavan, London – Production Behula
- Indian Summer, British Museum, London
- Solo night at the Nehru Centre, Indian High Commission, London
- Utsavam, Horniman Museum, London
- Indian classical dance performances, Harrow Arts Centre, London
Bianca Mendonca
General Manager - SOI & Western Classical Music
Bianca Mendonca is an accomplished cellist and arts leader, carrying forward a rich three-generation musical legacy. She began performing at the age of 12 with the Bombay Chamber Orchestra and later earned a Licentiate of the Trinity College of London. Her international career in performance led her across the United States, Canada, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Australia, and Spain. In addition to Western classical music, she has ventured into genres like fusion and jazz, recording for Bollywood films, commercials, and various music productions. A long-standing member of her mother’s choir, Living Voices, and an experienced educator, she has spent 20 years nurturing young musicians with dedication and passion.
Her journey with the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) began as a guest musician, playing with the orchestra for many seasons, which provided a keen perspective in her current leadership role as General Manager of the SOI. She joined the Western Classical Music department at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in 2016, and now leads the operations and planning of the SOI. She works closely with the Chairman, Music Director, and artistic committee to shape the orchestra’s programming and direction, bringing world-class concerts to Mumbai.
Bianca combines artistic insight with strategic leadership and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from HR College of Commerce and Economics, as well as a Master’s in Business, specializing in Marketing and Human Resource Management from the University of Queensland, Australia. Bianca represents the NCPA in the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC), where she focuses on fostering collaborative artistic projects and international exchange. With a passion for Western classical music, she dedicates herself to blending tradition with innovation to support the landscape of this timeless genre.
Bruce Guthrie
Head - Theatre & Films
Bruce Guthrie is the Head of Theatre & Film for the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai. He is an award-winning theatre director, whose has directed productions all over the world. His directing credits include: SEA WALL (Add Art Festival, NCPA Mumbai); CONSTELLATIONS (NCPA, Mumbai); RENT (St James Theatre & UK tour); MAN TO MAN by Manfred Karge (Wilton’s Music Hall, UK tour, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Wales Millennium Centre & Edinburgh Festival); THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, OTHELLO & TWELFTH NIGHT for Singapore Repertory Theatre (Fort Canning Park, Singapore).
Guthrie is a member of The Guildford School of Acting's Advisory Board and has been Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre of Wales. Some of the concerts and events he has helmed have been part of HRH The Prince of Wales 70th Birthday Celebration, and The Welsh Guards Centenary Celebration in 2015 for the Welsh Guards Charity.
With a BA Honours in Acting at Guildford School of Acting, Guthrie's training as a director includes stints at The National Theatre Studio and with Howard Davies, Sir Richard Eyre, Deborah Warner & Associate director for Sam Mendes. He has also directed and taught for several leading conservatoires, drama schools and festivals including LAMDA; Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; Mountview Academy of Performing Arts; The Royal Academy of Music; Drama School Mumbai; La Salle, Singapore; National Student Drama Festival.
Tejal Pandey
Head – Dilip Piramal Art Gallery
Tejal Pandey is a photographer with close to 20 years of varied work experience spanning journalism, lifestyle, arts and culture. As a published art writer, her work has been featured in noted magazines, national dailies and international platforms, both in print and online.
A literature major, Tejal dabbled with filmmaking after studying cinema as a post graduate course before turning to photography. After winning awards for her images at the Times of India and Time Out magazine, Tejal took a brief sabbatical from working, orienting herself with art history, film photography and analogue printing at the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts in Italy and Greece. Images made during her travels largely featured in her first solo show at Cymroza Art Gallery in January, 2023.
Tejal has previously been a photo editor for magazines like Time Out and Verve, as also for Tata Sons. As a freelancer, she has worked as photographer and educator with several NGOs, documenting communities, gender and socio-economic and developmental initiatives, which in turn continue to inform her personal projects.
As Head of the Dilip Piramal Gallery (DPAG), she brings her lived and learned experiences to create a space for photography that is thriving with activities, ideas, learning and knowledge-sharing through exhibitions, talks, workshops and more. She is keen to highlight the importance of a space like DPAG as the only gallery in Mumbai focused on photography and photo-oriented endeavours, while nurturing it further as a hub for visual arts and culture.
Vincent Dsouza
General Manager - HR & Admin
With an experience of over 30 years in HR, Administration and Industrial Relations, Vincent Dsouza has a comprehensive understanding of human resource management systems and business issues, a talent he has showcased in devising and implementing coherent HR strategies. A keen strategist with leadership skills, he has guided teams of professionals towards maximum productivity through consensus-building, negotiation and interpersonal skills, problem-detection/solving abilities. A management and law graduate, he is well versed in labour laws and human rights.
Siddharth Deshpande
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Siddharth Deshpande has been with the NCPA for over 14 years in the Finance and Accounts team. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He has also completed his Masters in Commerce with specialization in Finance and Accounts from the University of Mumbai. He has been a Gold Medalist in the College and a merit rank holder in the B.Com Examination of the University of Mumbai.
Mr. Deshpande has been awarded by the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of India, for his exceptional performance and achievements as CA Corporate Contributor in the NGO and Allied services sector. He has also been nominated on various Committees of the Western India Regional Council of the CA Institute.
His experience in the area of auditing ranges from his work at the Bank of Baroda, Bank of India to other corporates. At the NCPA, he has been handling Budgeting, Income Tax, Management Accounting, Management Information System (MIS) as well as Secretarial work.
Mr. Deshpande has written for the Maharashtra Times and Loksatta on the subjects of economics, union budget and globalisation and its impact.
He is fond of Indian music, classical and otherwise, and has interest in cricket as well. Pursuing these interests, Siddharth also anchors music programs.
