Committee

Presidents – Jayalakshmi (Jayu) and Vishwanath Bhat

Namaskaru everyone! This is Jayu, I am happy to introduce myself and Vishwanath as your new Presidents of KASC. I’m from Aamchi Mumbai, and Vishwanath is from Bilagi, North Canara. We’ve been married for 16 years and are proud parents of two energetic kids who bring us so much joy!

We moved to California in 2015 and found KASC through Facebook, which instantly felt like home. Over the years, we’ve made many friends and even attended the Konkani Sammelan, which was an amazing experience. We started as Cultural Secretaries, and now we’re honored to serve as Presidents, keeping our community close to its roots.

Vishwanath – He has written and directed several dramas, including Matsya Gandha Express, performed at the Konkani Sammelan in 2016. He also designed the KASC logo and won the logo contest! He’s passionate about music, plays the tabla, enjoys Bhajans, and loves badminton. He also actively supports other community activities in SoCal.

Jayu – I enjoy music, cooking, and socializing, and since moving to the US, I’ve developed a love for baking. I also love spending time with Agastya and Amaaya.

We’re excited to make more wonderful memories with the KASC community. Shubhashay!

Vice Presidents – Aparna and Sanjay Bhat

Aparna and Sanjay have been associated with KASC since the 1990s. Aparna volunteers as a certified yoga instructor with VYASA Los Angeles. Sanjay serves as the Head of the Project Management Office in a major independent broker-dealer and registered investment advisor firm in Southern California.

Their daughter Susmita is serving as an Occupational Therapist at a Special Needs Facility in Southern California. Sanjay and Aparna are looking forward to serving the Konkani community as members of the KASC committee this coming year.

 

 

Treasurer – Ravi Joshi

Educated as a Chemical Engineer, I have been working in the Semiconductor Industry for the past 40 years. I have been a member of  KASC  for > 25 years and presently serve as Treasurer on the KASC Committee. I love music (Indian and Western), participating in skits, and Karaoke singing.
Fun fact about me – I can speak and read Kannada but have never written in Kannada script.
 
Appeal to long-time members (aka KASC veterans) – Please join fun-filled KASC activities and rekindle connection with old friends.  Give guidance to the younger generation and feel young again.   KASC needs you !!
 

Cultural Coordinators – Rekha and Nithyanand Rao

We have been part of KASC since 2023. We are fortunate to be part of a strong and sizable Konkani community in the greater LA area.

Nithyanand is an IT professional and likes listening to all forms of music. He plays the tabla and harmonium and enjoys singing bhajans and movie songs. Rekha & Nithyanand have a son, Pranav who is a junior in high school. We live in Irvine and like going on walks along the beautiful SoCal trails. We have lived in different parts of India and love seeing the diversity of the KASC community. We eagerly look forward to seeing us all coming together to celebrate our culture and traditions while having loads of fun.

 

Webmasters – Shashikala and Nataraj Nayak

Nataraj is from Karkala and Shashikala from Moodabidri. We live in the beautiful city of Burbank and keep ourselves busy with many activities at home and community.  Our two daughters are Archini – a final-year student in college and Chinmayi – a freshman in high school.  

Nataraj is an IT professional and is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher.  He has been a devoted volunteer at Sri Venkata Krishna Temple (catemple.org) since its beginning.  His interests are traditional Indian music and gardening.

Shashikala is a web developer and a certified healer of ‘Sat Nam Rasayan’, an ancient art of meditative healing that originated in India.  She loves parks, traveling, and likes to explore new things.  She practices contemplation and meditation every day.

kasc.org was conceived, designed, developed, and is being maintained by Nataraj and Shashikala.  Archini also helped them in compiling articles and pictures.

Youth Committee 

  •   Pranav Rao

My name is Pranav Rao and I am a student at Woodbridge High School. I have been a member of KASC for two years. I lived in Pune, India for almost a decade and finished elementary and middle school there. Residing in Pune allowed me to learn the local languages like Hindi and Marathi which I speak besides Konkani and English. I am now picking up Spanish in High school.

I am passionate about helping my community as much as possible and ensuring that the Konkani culture lives on for generations.

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  • Om Shanbhag

Hello everyone! My name is Om Shanbhag, and I am currently an 11th-grader. I’ve been with KASC for almost a decade, and I’ve always loved coming to our cultural events.

From a young age, I have enjoyed our Konkani traditions and culture, and I look forward to such events to reconnect to my roots with a group of like-minded people. I’m excited to play a part in helping our organization grow and to get to know each and every one of our members!

 

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  • Aadhya Shenoy

Hello! I’m Aadhya Shenoy, a junior from Irvine, California. I have been a part of KASC for over 15 years; I’ve actively participated in and performed at KASC events since I was a toddler. Over the years, KASC has helped me feel more connected and has deepened my understanding of Konkani heritage and traditions.

I always look forward to KASC events as they give me a chance to connect with other Konkani people and meet my longtime friends. I have a wide range of passions: I’m trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Bollywood dance, and hold a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo. As a math and science enthusiast, I compete in various olympiads, while also dedicating time to multiple community service clubs. In addition, I love performing as a violinist in our school orchestra. I’m excited to be a part of the KASC Youth Committee this year and contribute to growing the organization and making our events memorable!