The Ravi & Shashi Bellare Arts Foundation memorializes and implements the rich legacies of Pandit Taranath Rao, Ravi Bellare and Shashi Bellare.  It's larger purview includes the stewardship, preservation, and presentation of the Indian classical arts: vocal music, dance, instrumental, and the percussive arts, specifically the tabla, as a solo and as an accompanying instrument.  The foundation, created in 1992, by Rupesh and Mona Kotecha honors the memory of twin brothers, Pandit Ravi & Shashi Bellare, who were the first to introduce the tabla duet, the Tabla Jugalbandi, to Indian audiences as early as the 1940's.  Both were world class performing artists.

 

Ravi Bellare was a polymath genius: musician, dancer, scholar of the arts, and visual artist.  Shashi Bellare was a highly regarded tabla accompanist who worked with Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and numerous other musical legends who lived in the 19th and 20th centuries.  The Bellare brothers were the nephews of Pandit Taranath Rao Hattiangady (1915-1991), maestro of the 'Laya' and 'Tala' as well as the visual arts. Rao taught at California Institute for the Arts from 1978 to 1990 and mentored numerous students from around the World. The foundation continues the tradition of passing the knowledge and proficiency of the Indian classical arts to the younger generations. Our activities include: holding intimate concerts, tabla pedagogy and presentations, which include audio and video documentation, as well as a platform for younger artists to showcase their art. 

 

The organization also curates exhibitions of Indian visual arts and musical performance for Southern California audiences. The most public forum of our Saraswati-stewardship is our annual 'Festival of Tabla'. To realize our goals of supporting our foundation and continuing the tradition of the Festival of Tabla, we require ample sponsorships, grants, suitable professional venues, and generous donations.   

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The Ravi & Shashi Bellare Arts Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of arts & culture of south Asia with a focus on the art of Tabla Solos and Indian Classical Music. We are committed to providing a platform as well as attentive audiences to not only renowned musicians but the young and upcoming talent as well.