IIT, Kanpur: An artist-in-residence, who takes lecture demonstration classes for those who are interested; a design programme and a course in audiovisual communication with emphasis on media. Coming soon: community radio.
IIT, Powai: Plans are afoot to include Indian classical music and industrial design as courses at the undergraduate level. There's also an active dhrupad centre.
IIT, Delhi: A course in dramatics is now in place, even though isn't compulsory.
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Ruchi Bhatt, 26 Model and classical dancer
‘I wanted to become a dentist so I became one. But I also wanted to follow my passion, which is Odissi dance. Today, I walk the ramp and dance. There is no contradiction between healthcare and pursuing what one wants in life."
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Karadi Tales
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Ashutosh Matela, 28, Filmmaker
"I joined IIT because I was expected to do so. I graduated with average grades but I wanted to follow my passion--which was contemporary dance. On the way, I joined the Pune Film Institute. Now I am on to my first directorial debut, a film on the soccer players of Begusarai (Bihar)."
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Nitin Das, 32, Filmmaker
"Having a degree in electronic engineering (Army Institute of Tech, Pune, and IIM, Lucknow), I am at home putting in place all that I have learnt. The whole aspect of movie making is so technology driven. But I had to convince my family about my intentions of doing something new."
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Manjul Bhargava, 35, Maths Prof, Princeton
"One of my best ideas for my PhD thesis came when I was at a three-week tabla workshop taught by Ustad Zakir Hussain in California. I was probably playing tabla eight hours a day at the time. I hadn’t imagined that I would also end up doing some great mathematics."
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