Svetlana Tulasi and Kathak troupe performing at SBMT Gala

What was the first time you experienced a Kathak Performance?

Honestly, I can’t remember which one exactly was my first ever Kathak performance, but it would be somewhere around the age of 10/11/12, just a few years into training. I was far from a great performer back then – my shoulders were slouching and I had zero expressions on my face. But hey, we all start somewhere 🙂

When did you first become interested in learning dance?

My parents enrolled me in Kathak dance when I was around 9 years old. I wasn’t interested in it at all at the beginning, but with time I got better and felt better about it. Eventually I fell in love with it and it has become an essential part of my personality.

What inspires you in your work as a dancer and a performer?

The ability to express myself using the body language of Kathak to the music of my choice, to tell the stories I want to tell and share the emotions and feelings I have with the viewers.

What wisdom would you like to share with anyone aspiring to take up a movement, dance practice or vocation?

Consistency in training is key to success as a dancer/choreographer. Find a teacher whose style you love and learn as much as you can from them.

How do you feel your chosen art form has helped you with your own mental wellness?

Dance makes me happy, energized, fit, and content with myself. There is no feeling quite like that of performing on stage/camera for the audience, being absolutely in the moment and sharing your energy/passion for dance.
 

Svetlana Tulasi needs no introduction. When it comes to Indian Classical Kathak dance, she is among the most well-known performing artists in the world. Her viral Kathak Fusion dance videos have become an internet sensation with over half a million followers across YouTube, Facebook and Instagram – look her up @svetlanatulasi. Svetlana’s goal and dream is for Kathak to become a mainstream art form, loved and pursued by millions of people around the world.

Having done multiple international TV shows, films and music videos from Bollywood to Hollywood and beyond, Svetlana is not stopping until Kathak becomes a household name. Recently, Svetlana became a Principal Dancer representing Kathak in a new multi-million dollar live show called “The Dancers” premiering in Australia and for the first time ever on Broadway, New York in 2024.

Juanita Nidhindra, Executive Director, Sunder Foundation

What was the first time you experienced a work of visual art or a painting?

When I would see the “Night Sky” as a young girl. I was awestruck by the beauty and mystery of the universe and the way that the stars and constellations seem to sparkle and dance in the darkness. It instantly became a canvas of my emotions – my joy and enthusiasm sitting on a sense of calm and tranquility. It was a source of pure inspiration and delight along with wonder and mystery.

Little did I know that the same “night sky” would call upon me in a totally different way as I grew up and learned the theories of Copernicus and Galileo and the observations of modern astronomers and scientists, that revealed the secrets of the cosmos and gave us a deeper understanding of our place in the universe.

As a child, I would wait for the sun to set, to seek inspiration for a new painting – of a starry night with the stars dancing around the moon making shapes and patterns; and for the sun to rise – as I learnt a new chapter in science at school each day.

When did you first become interested in learning how to paint?

Honestly, I don’t know how to paint at all. But I love to play with paints – the colors & textures, the way red dances with yellow, the way a rainbow makes any composition cheerful, how black and white have the ability to make each other stand out!! How can one not be fascinated by all of that? That is all the art I know, nothing more.

But, to answer the question – “When did I first become interested in learning how to paint?” –
The thoughts that I experienced, watching the night sky or listening to my favorite songs from The Sound of Music needed expression. It came naturally to me – crayons on walls, creating patterns in the sand, drawing on the blackboard with chalk, drawing on the sidewalk with a brick or coal…

What inspires you in your work as a painter and as a scientist?

My fascination with mysteries and the unexplored. There is a quote that totally resonates with me – “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” So, when I see something mysterious, I want to unravel that like peeling an onion – just that some of these peels are of art and some of science.

What wisdom would you like to share with anyone aspiring to take up a visual arts form?

We all are gifted with some form of art. We all are gifted with some kind of creativity. We just need to explore it. Just be yourself and explore…

How do you feel your chosen art form has helped you with your mental wellness?

I am an engineer / scientist by education and profession working with technology, managing teams in a fast paced environment with deadlines looming over you while living in the hustle and bustle of a concrete jungle of world’s technology hubs. All of it, with the usual pressures of life – job stress, relationship needs, pollution, health issues, social media overdose, aging…

In that role I often rely on logic, analysis, and problem-solving skills. However, these skills alone do not always provide me with the emotional outlet, creative expression, healing and rejuvenation that I need to maintain my mental wellness. That’s where art forms come in.

By engaging in art, I can tap into my imagination, intuition, and emotions. Through art, I can explore the “mysterious”, the “joyful” and express myself in new ways and heal in the process. And it enriches me in my life and job / career as well – as creating art teaches me how to develop a keen attention to detail, precision, and accuracy.

Imagine a 2-hour zoom call with your team while solving a complex technical problem that challenges all your mental faculties and while you are simply loving it, you are terribly drained and tired. Then you notice that painting that is right beside you that you painted as a teenager, with its colors, shades and vibrance, that gives you a peek into pure nature and the “mysterious”!! That is an “Aha” moment for me and I smile!! These together – art and science complementing each other in me, within me… this is what I aspire for, and what gives me joy…

Each year, the SBMT conference brings together leading clinicians, researchers, and other industry professionals to present and discuss the latest and most innovative advancements in brain mapping, neuroscience, and therapeutics.

The psychiatry sub-committee of the conference plays a crucial role in advancing the field of psychiatry and contributing to improving the lives of those who struggle with mental health disorders. This year, Dr. Sunder spearheaded the psychiatry sub-committee and events, which held sessions on innovative technologies and findings in the expanding field of psychiatry. He co-chaired several sessions:
1. “Controversies in the Use of Psychedelics in Mental Health Disorders” with Dr. Nicole Jafari.

2. “Opioid Addiction- Policy and Innovations” with Mario Bartolome and Waseem Khader.

3. “TMS in Neuropsychiatric Disorders- Novel Protocols & Applications” with Nesrin Dilbaz

4. “Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Neuropsychiatric Implications”

5. “Psychology of Gun Violence and Policy”

Psychology of Gun Violence and Policy

In addition to sessions, Dr. Sunder played a prominent role in panel discussions and keynotes. The SBMT conference had the privilege of speeches by Montel Williams- Television Host, Actor, and Speaker. Dr. Sunder led the “Psychology of Gun Violence and Policy” Keynote Panel Discussion with Montel Williams, Nicole Hockley, and Babek Kateb.

r. Sunder had the pleasure of engaging in this panel discussion with brilliant anti-gun violence advocates, including Ms. Nicole Hockley, founder and CEO of the Sandy Hook Promise. After losing her youngest son in the Sandy Hook elementary school tragedy, Ms. Hockley has made it her mission to prevent violence and speak out on school safety and gun violence prevention.

Ms. Hockley delivered an impactful and inspirational presentation at the 2023 SBMT Gala, where she showcased her work preventing gun-violence in early stages and assuring that our children are safe in spaces of education. Ms. Hockley is taking strides in gun-violence prevention, and the Sunder foundation acknowledges the dire importance of her work as well as thanks her for the impact she has made on the safety of our future generation.

Dr. Sunder also spoke alongside Mr. Montel Williams, host of The Montel Williams Show, and Military Makeover: Operation Career. Currently. Mr. Williams is an active advocate of the MS Foundation and an advocate for multiple sclerosis research since he was diagnosed in 1999.

Mr. Williams is also a strong advocate for gun control- he speaks for universal background checks on gun purchases, and emphasizes the importance of responsible gun ownership. Mr. Williams has advocated for gun control on the Montel Williams show, the Oprah Winfrey show, the View, and CNN.

During the panel discussion, alongside Dr. Sunder, Mr. Williams voiced the need for stricter gun-safety regulations and left a lasting impression on the audience that emphasized the urgency of the gun-violence situation in America. The Sunder Foundation thanks Mr. Williams for his passionate advocacy on this pressing issue in our country.