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ISN homepage Indian Storytelling Network Bangalore
2)
Anagha
Prasad. 4)
Deepa
Ramani. 5)
Geeta
Ramanujam. 6)
Lavanya
Prasad. 8)
Meera
Venkatesan. 9)
Neena
Girish. 10) Ramya Iyer. 11)
Ramya
Srinidhi. 12)
Shreya Biswas. 13)
Shylaja
Sampath. 15)
Vijaylakshmi
Nagaraj.
1 Ameen
has led a double life in Advertising and Theater. A trained actor and storyteller, he has
attended an Intensive course in Storytelling and passionately believes in the
power of stories to change the world.
He is using the power of stories to bring about a change in Education,
to train teachers, work with special children and also train leaders from the
world of business in the art of Storytelling.
Drawing upon his experience from theater, work with special children
and advertising, his workshops and training programs are ideal for those who
want to become better storytellers. As
a performer and storyteller he uses music (harmonica), masks, picture cards
and songs to bring alive his characters and stories. Comfortable with Hindi, English and
Gujarati, Ameen also writes and tells original stories in the form of poetry. When not conducting workshops, he can be
found spreading the magic of stories at schools, bookstores or an
orphanage. Member,
Bangalore
Storytelling Society. 2 Anagha
Prasad. Anagha
Prasad, an alumni of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), has been a
professional storyteller and a certified yoga instructor for the past 6.5
years. She gets children and the
"kids at heart" hooked onto her and her stories. Having worked in the IT industry for 10
years, she shifted her tracks when her life calling came to light. She has been trained in storytelling by
Kathalaya, and has been trained in yoga by A1000 Yoga. She blends yoga and dance into storytelling
in unique ways. Anagha
is a founding contributor of Val-Ed
Initiatives, a unique value education startup delivering customized value
curriculums to schools across the country.
She is also a founding member of Katha Krafters a unique collaboration
of storytellers. Their productions
include: 1) “Maanini”, an online performance on women in Krishna’s life with
a blend of storytelling and Bharatanatyam; 2) "Bala Leela", Krishna
temple stories; and 3) "We the Victory", stories across genres
exploring various aspects of victory.
She has curated shows for corporates such as Tanishq, and has also
curated a show on Aiyperum Kaapiyangal in Tamizh. She has been a part of Chennai Storytelling
Festival, FEAST, and Bangalore Literature Festival. She has collaborated with tellers for
"Kalaatma", a theatrical storytelling show. Anagha
conducts sessions across the country and for global audiences of various age
grounds from preschoolers to senior citizens in various genres of
stories. She also conceptualizes and
conducts teacher-training programs and storytelling workshops for schools,
individuals, and corporates. Contact anaghaprasad@gmail.com 9886217806 https://www.instagram.com/anagha_prasad https://www.facebook.com/anaghaprasad https://www.youtube.com/@KathaMandalam Aparna
Athreya.
Founder, Kid and Parent Foundation. Aparna is a storyteller and storywriter, and a
passionate advocate of Storytelling in education. She works with schools and the welfare
sector where she runs developmental programs using Storytelling. Her deep involvement with stories has led
her to also don the mantel of a performance storyteller, as she enjoys
bringing the magic of stories to life for children and adults alike! Member,
Bangalore
Storytelling Society. Contact 99452 25126 aparnaathreya@gmail.com https://facebook.com/kiddywiki 4 Deepa
Ramani. Deepa is a teacher turned performance storyteller, award winning podcaster, author and blogger. She tries to create narratives that resonate deeply. She sees stories as transformative, bridging listeners to the world of new perspectives and insights. Her varied interests and pursuits allow her to explore different realms of thought and creativity. Through voice and words, she aims to empower herself and those who journey with her. She has been working with children and adults in different set ups for more than 20 years. ––– Deepa is developing two podcasts, for people of
all ages: "Bachpan
Ke Pitare Se" (English title, "From
the Treasure Trove of Childhood".) and "Ripples,
Alacritous Learning with Deepa" Both are multi-lingual (English, Hindi, and
Sindhi), and involve storytelling, poem-reading, commentaries, and Interviews
with guests. These podcasts were started with the intention to
bring smiles to listeners' faces and empower listeners to further develop
their communication abilities. The podcasts have been received well, with more
than 200 episodes and more than 15,000 plays. The podcasts are enjoyed by people of all age
groups. They provide new perspectives
and add value to the lives of the listeners of diverse groups and
sensibilities. ––– Regarding the The "Bachpan
Ke Pitare Se" podcast.
(English title, "From
the Treasure Trove of Childhood".) – This podcast seeks to bring smiles to listeners'
faces by assisting listeners to re-visit memories of childhood experiences
through stories and poems. The podcast explores various genres of literature.
There is something interesting for all age groups in English, Hindi, and
Sindhi. The podcast is dedicated to providing access to
good literature for all, and to helping listeners to re-connect with
themselves, become more motivated, and discover new perspectives. Series within the "Bachpan Ke Pitare Se"
podcast include: 1) Making Way to #inclusivecommunity, A
Podcast of Hope. This is an ongoing
series aimed at creating awareness regarding neurodivergence. 2) Celebrating Indian Languages. This has narrations from various
storytellers in a number of Indian languages. 3) #flyingcolours. This was aimed to encourage parents and
students appearing for 10th and 12th board exams to prepare for and write
exams in a stress-free manner. Included are interviews of professionals who
share their journeys from school to success. In 2023, Spotify Spotlight gave "Bachpan Ke
Pitare Se" its "Best Storytelling Podcast" award. In 2024, Hubhopper nominated "Bachpan
Ke Pitare Se" as one of the top 3 storytelling podcasts. ––– Regarding the "Ripples,
Alacritous Learning with Deepa" podcast – This bi-lingual podcast (Hindi and English) has
the aim of teaching and learning English and Hindi. Anyone who wants to learn either of these
languages can learn at their own pace with this podcast. Teachers use it as a resource to listen to the
stories in classrooms as an audio teaching aid. This podcast seeks to create and spread ripples of
joy, hope, and happiness through various creative activities, especially
relating to language learning and communication skills. This podcast presents a creative learning
approach. It seeks to enable people to
polish their Hindi and English language skills, and to empower individuals to
be confident – to feel, "Yes, I can!". The podcast can also be used to have
fun-filled family activities together. ––– Deepa specializes in dramatic read aloud, picture
book reading, oral storytelling, Kamishibai storytelling, and storytelling
for neurodiverse audience members. She also conducts workshops and courses
for adults and children along with teachers’ training programmes. The following are the flagship training programmes
Deepa conducts: For Adults – 1) Spoken English and Hindi classes for beginners. 2) Storytelling pedagogy to teach English and
Hindi languages as per NEP. 3) Using storytelling for teaching aspects of
speech, including grammar. 4) The art of reading aloud. 5) Making the most of Picture Books (Picture Book
Reading). 6) Hindi teaching made interesting. 7) All about graphic literary plot organizer
(story mapping) to teach various subjects. 8) How to start your own podcast (for beginners). 9) Strategizing engaging content. 10) Handwriting improvement classes. 11) Designing activities to teach languages to
children of different age groups (customized workshops for different
individuals). For Children (8 years and above)- 1) Enhancing listening skills. 2) Handwriting improvement classes. 3) English and Hindi grammar classes. 4) Creative writing classes. 5) Using graphic literary plot organizers to study
various subjects. 6) Guiding and preparing students for stage
performances (Ted Talks, storytelling performance, poem recitation,
elocution, debate/ extempore competitions, etc). A photo is here. Contact Electronic City Phase 1, Bangalore 9844567279 deepa.ahuja.ramani@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/Deepa.Ahuja.Ramani 5 Geeta
is an Ashoka Fellow. She has performed
at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, UK, International festival at Brazil,
Storywood festival at Sweden, World Tales festival Poland, the International
Storytelling Centre USA, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Germany, Norway and
at many other festivals. She is also
the Indian Coordinator for the International Storytelling Network (RIC) and
the co-founder/coordinator of the Indian Storytelling Network. A
profile of Geeta Ramanujam is here. For
Activies in May and June 2022, please click here. Articles,
video recordings, etc -- In
May 2015, Geeta Ramanujam received the
"Bangalore at its Best" award for her outsanding service to the
city of Bangalore. Photos and details
are here. http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/telling
tales http://thebrightlamp.com/stories/geetaramanujam-you-are-the-story-storyteller http://thebrightlamp.com/stories/geetaramanujam-you-are-the-story-storyteller/Achievements
of Geeta http://www.harmonyindia.org/hportal/VirtualPageView.jsp?page_id=21572 http://youthopia.in/article/Story-Telling-The-lost-Saga https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ccK66KKe8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nRK3dT8oWg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ccK66KKe8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nRK3dT8oWg Contact +91
8277389840 +91
9845207073 kathalaya@gmail.com Kathalaya,
#88, BHBCS Layout, 2nd Cross, 3rd Main, BTM
II Stage, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore
- 560 076 6 Lavanya Prasad. Lavanya
is a professional storyteller. She has
run her organization, Tale'scope, since March
2014. As a little girl, she wanted to
become a teacher. She is very grateful
to her grandfather, who used stories to make learning interesting. She found her true calling when she was
working as a teacher and began developing ways to use stories to teach. The possibilities she discovered in this
process prompted her to start Tale'scope in 2014. Tale'scope caters to everyone who believes
in the power of stories. Lavanya's
work has taken her to many different places, where she has worked with
various kinds of people, including teachers and other educators, corporates,
senior citizens, and children (including those who are visually-challenged or
otherwise differently-abled).
Tale'scope gives training programs, lecture demonstrations, creative
writing workshops, talks, etc. Lavanya
is proud to be working on the "Roots" project with members of a
senior citizen's community: this project focuses on helping senior citizens
to write their life stories. She also
works with senior citizens on a regular basis conducting "circles"
that help them to share their innermost fears, hopes, and other feelings and
thoughts. She considers herself lucky
to be able to make her passion her profession. If you believe in the power of stories just
like Lavanya, and you would like her to come to your organization for a
training session or a talk, please communicate with her. Contact talescope.blr@gmail.com 98456
80816 Tale'scope's
Facebook page Tale'scope's
Youtube
channel Sound
Cloud: Lavanya's Tales 7 Meenu
Sivaramakrishnan. Meenu has become a Storyteller
because of her passion and love for stories.
She believes stories have the power to enrich as well as entertain. An Engineer by qualification, Meenu
worked in the IT industry for close to a decade. After quitting her corporate job, she got
an opportunity to interact with many school children through her educational
venture. It was then that she began in
earnest to explore the world of stories through writing and telling. Seeing the impact of stories and
realizing that the children of this generation are definitely missing the
magical experience of oral storytelling, she decided to dive deeply into this
art. She became associated with Bangalore
Storytelling Society, which provided her opportunities to tell to large
audiences. Later, Meenu began her own initiative
called “Katha Galatta" – Unleash Ur Joy
Thru’ Stories, to revive the love for oral storytelling and rekindle the joy
of discovering characters through stories. Over the years, she has honed her skills
through the various Storytelling Workshops offered by veterans like Jeeva
Raghunath, Geeta Ramanujam, and Roger Jenkins. Meenu is also a member of the Federation of
Asian Storytellers (FEAST). Meenu has
performed at storytelling festivals such as Bangalore Storytelling Festival 2018
and 2019, Jharkhand Online Storytelling Festival 2020, and Janatha Curfew
Online Festival 2020. Meenu leads: Interactive Story Sessions at Schools in
Bangalore. Weekly/Fortnightly/Monthly
Sessions. Event Based Sessions. Holiday Camps. Story Clubs. She tells stories at libraries, cultural
spaces, public parks, childrens' carnivals, lake festivals and gated
communities. Meenu has also associated with NGOs,
with whom she uses the mediums of stories and storytelling for social causes. Being a classically-trained singer, she
tries to incorporate music and movements in her storytelling. Meenu also conducts
story-related workshops for adults, such as, "Storytelling for
Beginners," an introductory workshop for teachers, parents, and other
adults who love stories and storytelling and want to take this art to the
next level. Meenu is one of the storytellers in the
podcast, "The
Jumping Jelly Beans" (Singapore). Meenu's own story podcast is called
"KathaPod – Once upon
a Story". A photo of
Meenu is here. Contact 9886914205 kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KathaGalatta LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meenu-s-a22a6417 Instagram: kathagalatta.meenu 8 Meera
Venkatesan. Meera Venkatesan is a professional performance storyteller, trainer, and learning
consultant with a love of words and a deep desire to create meaningful
learning. Meera is a part of
the creative storytelling group Katha Krafters. She loves to don many hats including
storytelling, and writing poetry, scripts, and non-fiction. She has worked extensively to create
story-based curriculums to enhance learning.
She started her
experiments with storytelling 10 years ago at Kathalaya Academy of storytelling. Since then her career in storytelling and
friendship with stories has grown and matured in many different ways through
teaching, training, and performing. The services she
offers as a storyteller are: * Training: Storytelling for teachers. * Story Curriculum: Create a customised story-based curriculum
for schools. * Creative Writing and Public Speaking Workshops: Workshops for
children. * Storytelling Performances: Online and in-person storytelling
for schools and events. * Customised Storytelling Programs: Create a customized
storytelling module for corporates and events. Contact meeravenk@gmail.com https://sites.google.com/view/meera-venkatesan
https://kathakrafters.com
(Group) 9 Neena
Girish. Neena's Storytelling Resume is here. A photo is here. Contact 87001 96569 neenagirish73@gmail.com On – 10 Ramya
Iyer. Ramya believes in the strength of a warm, holding. and healing
space. She finds herself working
towards bringing people closer to themselves and more connected to each other
through story and expression. She
seeks to contribute to help people transform and heal, and live fulfilling
lives. She is fascinated by the magic and power that every person's story
holds every moment, every day. And
dreams, dreams intrigue her – the ones that meet us when asleep and when
awake! Ramya's storytelling
initiative is called The Bright Lamp
Storytells. Under this
initiative, she facilitates the "Healing Hope Heart Story circle",
"Bonding over our stories and songs", "Hum Circle",
"Story you, story me, story we" (stories for children and
families), and "The Light and Joy of Storytelling" (sharing,
exploring, learning, and growing through storytelling). She has earned an
Engineering degree from the University of Mumbai, and a Master of Business
Administration degree from the University of British Columbia, Canada. She worked in technology and marketing
analytics before moving to Bangalore and into the world of stories and
storytelling. She is excited to be
discovering life and the world through the lens of beautiful stories about
the the inter-connectedness of it all, and she is delighted to share this
vision and these stories with those she meets on her journey. She is a member of Bangalore Storytellers
and FEAST (Federation of Asian Story Tellers). Ramya is trying to
live a fulfilling life (in part through storytelling) -- one breath, one
step, one day at a time. A photo is here. Contact 88612 43434 ramya.n.iyer@gmail.com Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ramyalife
. LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramyaniyer
. Instagram : ramyaponders
. 11 Ramya Srinidhi. Ramya Srinidhi is an acclaimed storyteller, actor, and educator,
known for her vibrant and theatrical storytelling style. Trained in the ancient Japanese art of Kamishibai, she now coaches
fellow artists and is the founder of the Indian Kamishibai Association
(IKA) and a co-founder of Katha Corner. Ramya transitioned from a 15-year corporate HR career to fully
dedicate herself to the art of storytelling. She holds a master’s degree in Psychology and is associated with
various prestigious storytelling organizations worldwide, including the
Storytelling Association of California, Bangalore Storytelling Society, and
the International Kamishibai Association of Japan. Ramya’s accomplishments include voice-over work for Zerodha
Varsity Junior, storytelling for Scholastic India, and being a featured
storyteller at numerous festivals, such as the Auburn Winter Storytelling
Festival in the USA, and the Bangalore Literature Festival. She has facilitated storytelling workshops for educational
institutions and corporate settings, demonstrating her commitment to
promoting the art of storytelling across diverse platforms. Ramya's academic training includes courses in story therapy,
psychodrama, and expressive arts therapy, which have contributed to her
expertise in the field of storytelling for wellness and personal growth. Trainings offered
to the public include – "Storytelling" Workshop for Children/Teenagers/Adults,
and Teachers/Educators/Storytellers. "Kamishibai Storytelling" Workshop (Basic, Advanced). "Theatre" Workshop for Children/Teenagers/Adults. A photo is here. Contact 99000 98216 rramyasrinidhi@gmail.com Facebook – Indian
Kamishibai Association.
Shreya
is a trained storyteller, a story lover, and a firm believer in the power of
stories. A graduate in chemistry from
Calcutta University, her love for children made her an early childhood
educator. An alumna of Children's
Little Theatre, Kolkata, it was a natural transition for her from being a
teacher, to being a storyteller and performer. Shreya has an amazing ability to make an
instant connection with children. She
often uses visual art as an aid for storytelling, and her performances are a
treat for the senses, as she brings her stories alive with songs, picture
cards, glove puppets, and paintings.
Shreya trains teachers to help
integrate stories into education. She
also trains aspiring storytellers, both adult and children. Shreya spreads the magic of stories through
her dream initiative, Katharangam. Contact 99002
34613 katharangam.storytelling@gmail.com 13 Shylaja Sampath. Besides
being a performer since her childhood, Shylaja is an educator, experienced
storyteller, theatre artist, and soft skills trainer. She has acted in several plays, including B
Jayashree’s Sadaramé, The First Leaf, and Gumma Banda Gumma. She has conducted storytelling sessions at
Ranga Shankara, Rangoli Metro Art Centre, Hippocampus, Atta Galata, and other
venues. She was invited to tell
stories at the prestigious theater festival in memory of CG Krishnaswamy, in
an attempt to bring marginalized groups to the mainstream. Keen on making a difference in the lives of
the underprivileged, Shylaja has been an active storyteller at Buguri, a
community library for the children of waste workers in Banashankari, among
several other personal initiatives.
She has collaborated with numerous other storytellers Shylaja is a trained public speaker, a
Toastmaster, who conducts workshops for professionals in companies such as
Seimens, Britannia Industries and others, in various parts of the country. She also conducts storytelling workshops
for educators across public and private schools in an attempt to improve and
diversify the methods of teaching. A teacher by profession and an actor by
passion, Shylaja uses her skills to engage, entertain, and educate children
with her stories. She also specializes
in storytelling for adults with an aim to help provide new perspectives on
complex personal issues through meaningful and inspiring tales. Shylaja tells stories in English and
Kannada. Member,
Bangalore
Storytelling Society. Contact 99164
45641 shylaja.sampath@gmail.com Shylaja
Sampath's Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/ninetyboldtales 14 Swati Kakodkar. Swati
is the Founder and Director of Story ki Bory,
a structured story-time program conducted in an informal, spontaneous and
interactive manner. Story ki Bory is
designed to inspire children to cultivate and strengthen their likings for
stories and books, spark imaginations, improve language skills, and build
confidence. Story ki Bory, literally meaning "a
sackful of stories", offers an environment that easily allows children
to shed their inhibitions, and provides a platform where they can showcase
their talents. An MBA by education, Swati has worked in
the areas of Brand Building and Corporate Communication. A certified storyteller, she is
currently pursuing her Diploma in Storytelling with Kathalaya. Swati likes to define herself as
enthusiastic, approachable and organized, and as a creative dreamer. Two mottos she is inspired by are: "Be
the change you want to see in the world". "Choose
a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life!" Contact 98860
48516 swatikakodkar@storykibory.co.in 15 Vijaylakshmi
Nagaraj. Vijaylakshmi Nagaraj is an
educational consultant, author, and storyteller. Her focus has been on
integrating storytelling and textbook learning. Her love for children and the
desire to ensure that they have a happy childhood has been her mission in
life. She has been telling stories to
children suffering from cancer using her handmade puppets, as she believes
that storytelling is an excellent therapy for children suffering from long
term illness. She was involved in a “Reading to Recovery,” programme for the
Tsunami orphans in Nagapattinam (2005). She has authored a number of
children’s books, and written research-oriented articles on children’s
literature. She is a life member of the
Association of Writer’s and Illustrators for Children (AWIC), a New Delhi
based NGO. She has worked with Akshara Foundation in their Library
programmes. She has been a member of the Steering Committee for Psycho-Social
Support and Mental Health Services in Disasters, National Disaster Management
Authority, Govt of India. She has showcased traditional
Indian storytelling at the World Congress on Children’s Books, in Cape Town,
South Africa (2004). She has also represented the
country at the world’s largest Children’s Book fair in Bologna, Italy (1998
and 2003). In 2008, she was invited to the
31st International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) World Congress held
at Copenhagen, Denmark, to present a paper on “Reading to Children in
Crises.” She focused on emotional and psychological healing through reading
and storytelling. In August 2012, she was invited to
the 33rd IBBY, World Congress at London, U.K. Her paper, “Borderless Tales
Impacting Young Minds,” was very well-received. She has set up a children’s library
at DR Chandrashekar’s Institute for Speech and Hearing. She introduced the
children to storybooks and encouraged them to read beyond text books. This
brought about a positive improvement in their academics. She is known for her innovative
teaching techniques, encouraging children’s creativity in their learning
processes. She has been a Principal in a Primary school in the North
East. She encouraged children to read
storybooks. This helped them in their writing and communication skills. She
believes that the emotional quotient in children is of prime importance and
uses storytelling and book reading very effectively to address this. She is a
committed social worker. She conducts workshops for teachers on the art of
storytelling using handmade puppets. Her book, “Sun Magic,” has sold
over 1500 copies and is being used as a class text in a school. Her publications include: 1) “Jhilmil the Butterfly.” 2) “Chip, Chirp, Hoot: The Sounds
of Nature and other Stories.” 3) A folktale from Arunachal
Pradesh published in a collection, “Once Upon a Time in India.” 4) A story on Communal Harmony in
a collection published by the National Foundation of Communal Harmony. 5) "Natural Wonders of
India." She contributes to Children’s
World, a popular children’s magazine, and enjoys writing for children. Her recent works include a Tamil
Translation of Julia Donaldson’s popular book, “A Squash and a Squeeze,”
published by Pan Macmillan. Her prize-winning short story, “Love for
Weaving,” appears in a collection titled, “The Wingless Flight and Others,”
published by Children’s Book Trust (2023). She does storytelling sessions for
the children in an orphanage once a week. She set up a small library for them
before the pandemic and the children inculcated the reading habit during this
time. She is a Founding Member of
Booklore, a Bangalore-based book club for children, which ran successfully
for six years. She is Director -Campaigns with Funky Rainbow, a leading
Independent and Travelling Bookstore in Bangalore. A photo is here. Contact Email:
vijaylakshmi.nagaraj@gmail.com Mobile: 99860 03665 https://facebook.com/vijaylakshmi.nagaraj ______________________________________ Storytelling
Activities Kathalaya. Kathlaya's vision is to establish
Storytelling as an effective tool in all spheres of Education. Info about Storytelling Courses in
April 2024 is here. A profile of Geeta Ramanujam, the
Director of Kathalaya, is here. Contact: +91 8277389840 +91 9845207073 kathalaya@gmail.com Kathalaya, #88, BHBCS Layout, 2nd
Cross, 3rd Main, BTM II Stage, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore - 560 076 *** Bangalore
Storytelling Society (BSS). The Bangalore Storytelling Society
seeks to promote, revive, and popularize various traditional and contemporary
storytelling forms across numerous languages. Many of the leaders of the Bangalore Storytelling Society have
received training in Storytelling from Kathalaya,
and would like to express appreciation for this training. There is a monthly BSS Meet-Up, showcasing amateur and
professional Storytellers. Please
register to attend, and possibly to tell a story, on the BSS Meet-Up page. Contact info: info@bangalorestorytellingsociety.org *** Ever After. Ever After offers Storytelling Classes for
people of all ages. Contact info: info@ever-after.co.in 99166 41717 <end> a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a
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