FIPA was set up in October 2006 as a not for profit organisation to promote the performing arts of the Indian Subcontinent aiming to develop the areas of

•  academic and practical research

•  reconstructions of performances

•  original and cross-cultural South Asian productions

•  educational and training workshops

•  international collaborations

•  documents and videos work for its archives and online resource

The organisation is spearheaded by Dr. Ananda Gupta who has been working with international South Asian performing artists for the last eight years, organising high level performances in the UK and India . These productions have been enthusiastically received by Indian, British-Indian and mainstream UK audiences at such venues as the British Museum, V & A and the Nehru Centre.

Dr Keith Howard, Director of the AHRC Research Centre for Cross-Cultural Music and Dance Performance, and Dr Mark Hobart, Director of the Centre for Media and Film Studies, both at SOAS, University of London, who are leading the academic partnership of FIPA with SOAS to develop academic research, reconstructions, cross-cultural work and international opportunities.

FIPA organises Dakshinayan, a music school which is affiliated to the renowned Tagore music and culture school in Kolkatha, Dakshinee. Dakshinayan is based at the Bengal Institute at Baker Street and its students are mainly second generation Bengalis.

Following a series of highly successful performances, FIPA has been invited by the Nehru Centre, the Cultural Wing of the Indian High Commission, to be a partner in its arts programming and production. Padavilis at the Nehru Centre created pandemonium this June and 250 disappointed people had to be turned away.

FIPA is currently developing its first major heritage and performance project Tagore's Tasher Desh ( Land of Cards ), a dance opera that includes touring the production in October and November, workshops and exhibitions. A major education and performance project with Waterman's Arts Centre has been planned for April 2008.

FIPA is also producing a number of Indian classical shows to coincide with GLA's India Now festival Jul-Sep 2007 which raises awareness for GLA's new offices Mumbai and Dehli due to open in October 2007.

The Directors of FIPA

Dr Ananda Gupta

Cid Shaha

Hi Ching

Music is his passion. His initial music training was in Delhi , the Bhavan and Chartiya Kala Kendra. He currently trains with Krishna Chakraborty. He specialises in Tagore music and was trained by Maya Sen and Shoilaja Ranjan Majumdar in Delhi , Sudeb Guhathakurta of Dakshinee, Kokata. He secured first position in the final diploma exam of Dajshinee in 2002, the first time an overseas candidate to receive such a position. At the same time, he received the Sunil Kumar Roy Memorial Prize and the Obhigyan Potro in the Convocation Ceremony.

Dr. Ananda Gupta has performed extensively on the BBC, TV and in concerts in the UK and abroad including the Rabindra Mela in the USA; the Gitabitan Live Workshops Year in the Washington DC area; workshops and concert tours with Sudeb Babu of Dakshinee in the USA; produced and directed Shapmochan, Shyama and Tasher Desh in London and the UK; performed Madhuritu at Madison Square Gardens for Banga Sammelan; directed Tagore's Abhishaar at the Bangladesh Centre; soirees in Kolkata and Delhi for Siri Fort, Sovabazar Raaj Bari, Calcutta Club, G.D. Birlasabha Ghar and international NGO's.

Dr. Ananda Gupta has recorded his singing for Saregama India Ltd. HMV – Madhuriti…Tagore's seasonal songs and readings from his works on nature with readings by Sharmila Tagore and Sounitra Chatterjee.

He also runs Dakshinayan, the London branch of Dakshinee aimed to promote Tagore music to second generation British Bengalis, non Bengali speaking Indians in the UK and anyone interested in this music.

Cid Shaha was born and brought up in Dhaka , Bangladesh and has been performing since he was eight.

His dance training in kathak, folk, baratha natyam and manipuri was at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (7 year long Dancers' Course), the Shishu Academy (Dances' Course) and Shuronggoma Academy (Dance Course). After graduating, he danced with the government run Shilpakala Academy that represents the nation, Nrityanchal Dance Company, Bangladesh television and all the other TV channels in Bangladesh . He has also worked as a professional actor, appearing on TV and film.

He has won top prizes in all competitions he has taken part in since the age of eight, always gaining first or second place. He has received over ten awards for his achievements in dance and acting.

In 2006, he was invited by River Cultures to England to dance the lead as Prince Siddhartha / Buddha in the new UK musical ‘Journey To Wisdom' and in their other events. Since his arrival, he has been invited to appear in many dance productions for Akademi , UK Foundation for Dance. The Big Dance, Chhandam, Dr. Ananda Gupta's productions, China Chowdhury, Camden Bangladesh Mela and Stepney Festival.

Workshops include Kathak sessions for Tower Hamlets Ideas Store Learning; River Cultures Festival - Bollywood and Bangladeshi Folk Dance; Ocean Estate New Deal for Communities - Binderella.

His desire to develop as an artist prompted his move to the UK where he is learning ballet and contemporary dance to progress into new creative directions.

Hi Ching is a polymath born in London and brought up in Singapore . He studied at the Royal Ballet School (Dancers' Course) and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (Graduate Course - 1st studies in piano and singing, 2nd study in music composition). After graduating, he danced with the Frankfurt Ballet, Royal Opera, and English National Opera. He soon developed his profile as an actor, appearing on TV, film and stage. He also composes, directs, writes and choreographs.

He is Festival Director of River Cultures Festival, an annual festival in London Docklands inspired by the symbolism of rivers representing different nations, migration and trade. He is also Director of Continuuuum Arts, the British-Chinese arts company specialising Chinese arts events, and now widening its scope into world performing arts.

He has created and directed performances for the Royal National Theatre (where he was also invited as an expert), The Royal Festival Hall, The Museum in Docklands, Chinese Arts Centre, and other UK arts venues.

He was first prize national winner of a short story competition in the UK in 1996. Two of his plays which he directed and produced with the Albany Theatre were Hungry For It and You Beat Me, I Love You which received critical acclaim. Some of his poetry is represented on the ICA website of British-Chinese writing.

He has won prizes for his music at the Voices of the World International Music Competition in 2005 and 2006. This led to a commission by the Fo Guang Temple, London , to write, compose and produce ‘Journey To Wisdom', an outdoor musical on the life of Buddha. He has also composed music for TV and theatre including BBC's ‘Death On The Beach' in which he also played the lead. A selection of his musical compositions is featured on the London Diaspora Capital website of Cultural Co-operation.