:: Keli India ::

About Keli

KELI is a Mumbai-based cultural organization registered as a charitable trust. For the past 34 years, it has been dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and development of India's folk,traditional, and classical performing arts heritage, with its activities extending across the country.

Over the years, Keli has successfully undertaken numerous significant projects in furtherance of its objectives. Its annual thematic festivals have become a hallmark of Mumbai's cultural calendar and are widely appreciated by artists, scholars, and art lovers alike. These festivals have earned Keli a distinguished place in the cultural life of the city.

To date, Keli has organised 55 major festivals, providing performance opportunities to more than 2,000 artists and reaching an audience of over 150,000 art enthusiasts. Its programmes have consistently received acclaim from eminent artists, scholars, and connoisseurs, establishing Keli as a respected institution in the field of arts and culture. Keli is also privileged to enjoy the continued support of Sanjna Kapoor, who has been associated with the organization since 1994.

Over the years, distinguished personalities such as Shashi Kapoor, Sanjna Kapoor, Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Ram Narayan, Ustad Alla Rakha, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Mickey Hart, Pandit C. R.Vyas, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Kishori Amonkar, Kumar Sahni, Girish Karnad, Arun Kashalkar, Govind Nihalani, Hema Malini, Dr. N. Rajam, Pandit Nityanand Haldipur, Darshana Jhaveri, Chitra Visweswaran, Pandit Pushparaj Koshti, Fazal Qureshi, Sarita Joshi, Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Brij Narayan, Sushama Deshpande, Anand Neelakantan, Over the years, Keli festivals have had the privilege of hosting some of India's most celebrated cultural icons, including Padma Vibhushan Padma Vibhushan Dr. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Padma Bhushan Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, Thayambaka maestro Pallavoor Appu Marar, and many other distinguished luminaries have graced Keli festivals over the years as performers, participants, and Guests of Honour.

Felicitations

An important feature of every Keli festival is the felicitation of the custodians and torchbearers of India's rich artistic traditions. Senior Gurus are honoured with the Veera Shrunghala (a traditional golden bracelet), while promising young artists are presented with silver and gold conches and a golden brooch of appreciation in recognition of their talent and contribution.

Awareness Programmes

As part of its educational outreach, Keli has organized numerous awareness programmes, including lectures, lecture-demonstrations, seminars, colloquia, and interactive sessions with renowned artists across India

Documentation

KELI has also made significant contributions to the documentation and dissemination of India's performing arts traditions through audio-visual archiving, research, documentary films, digital preservation, and publications. In publications, Keli has published two important books: "Naatya Védathilé Prathapa Mudrakal," documenting the lives and artistic contributions of several eminent masters of Indian performing arts, and "Abhinethri," authored by Usha Nangiar, which explores the role and presence of women in Koodiyattam. These publications reflect Keli's commitment to preserving artistic knowledge and heritage. Notably, an article from Abhinethri has been adopted by Mahatma Gandhi University as prescribed study material for undergraduate students.

Keli has engaged in more than 10 ethnographic documentary filmprojects on ethnographic subjects and these films were screened across the world as part of various film festivals and travelling cinema packages.

Senior Maestros whom Keli felicitated in the Keli Festivals

Golden Locket

Vidushi Jyoti Hegde (Rudra Veena)
Dr. Neena Prasad (Mohiniyattam)
Sukanya Ramgopal (Ghatam)
Pelva Naik (Drupad)
Mattannur Sreeraj (Thayambka)
Sadnam Balakrishnan (Kathakali)
Dr. Jayaprabha Menon (Mohiniyattam)
Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan (Kathakali)
Vidyadharan Master (Filim Music)
BrijNarayan (Sarod)
Kummath Raman (Kombu)
Maniyamparambil Mani (Thalam)
Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan (Kathakali Chenda)

Many senior artists who inherit the proud legacy of India 's performing Arts were honored with The Silver Conches.

Our Supporters

The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has extended support to several of Kelis seminars and festivals. The organization has also received valuable support from Tata Trusts, Orange, Life Insurance Corporation of India, ONGC, Indian Oil Corporation , BPCL, HPCL, GAIL, RCF, Air India, State Bank of India, Axis Bank, Central Bank of India, ANZ Grindlays Bank, Union Bank of India, LIC Housing Finance Ltd., Godrej Sara Lee, Bajaj, Lawkim Ltd., Kshirsagar Apte Foundation, Impel Services, Wellbound Mumbai, Dr. Y. K. Hamied Foundation, Oasis, Emircom, JK Cements, and Chemtrols. These organizations shared KELI's commitment to preserving India's cultural heritage and played an important role in enabling its larger mission.

About Keli

Felicitations

Awareness Programmes

Documentation

Senior Maestros whom Keli felicitated in the Keli Festivals

Life Time Acheivement Award

Veera Shrunghala

Golden Conch

Golden Locket

Our Supporters

Milestones of Keli