BOSTON—Performing artist and budding Indian-American singer and songwriter Avanti Nagral will sing at the annual New England gala of the American Indian Foundation, known as AIF, on March 31 in Boston.
Nagral, one of the first to pursue a dual degree between Harvard University and the Berklee College of Music, combines her experience across various genres – Indian Classical, Broadway, Church/Gospel and Devotional – into a modern Pop-Soul sound.
Recently, Nagral unveiled a new track titled “Treated” that emphasizes on kind humanitarian behavior. Inspired by her personal experiences along with stories of women who have faced domestic violence, marital rape and bad relationships, the song promotes the importance of taking a stand in any kind of relationship.
Nagral was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading role for her portrayal of Agnes in ‘Agnes of God’ at the National Theater Awards in India, has recorded a pop-devotional English-Sanskrit fusion album, performed at venues across India, in the Northeast in the United States, and toured the Philippines.
“I recently released a single, called ‘Treated’, which is a song that I wrote to my 12-year old self; a song that reinforces my sense of self-respect,” said Nagral, adding that her team shot the music video in Boston with a group of student filmmakers, technicians and actors from Emerson, Boston University, WPI and Berklee.
She released the song globally on iTunes and Spotify! The song was produced by a Mumbai-based production company, Flying Carpet Productions.
Nagral is also passionate about Global Health and Development. She has done work in the fields of Music Therapy, Anemia, Organ Donation, Cardiac Disease, Cardiac Disease, CPR/Emergency Care and Mental Health, through research, advocacy and creating initiatives.
She launched an educational tour at schools across India, conducting performance-cum-workshops, and sharing her journey in hopes to encourage students to pursue their own versions of passion and purpose, in the US, and will be doing so in other parts of the world soon.
AIF will hold its annual fundraising gala on March 31, 2018 at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston. The gala is co-chaired by Kunjan Anjaria & Vikram Mahidhar and Asha & Kim Shah. The theme for the 2018 gala is “Connect: Connect with a cause, Connect with ideas, Connect with the community.”
New England leadership of AIF includes: Raj & Nalini Sharma, Venkat & Pratima Srinivasan, Drs. Brian & Sunita Pereiira, Vivek & Vandana Sharma, and Santhana & Namita Krishnan. Members of AIF’s New England Council of Governors are: Andy Gupta, Farida Kathawalla, Nimit Nathwani, Sangita Thakore, Srini Ambati and Vikram Mahidhar.
Founded in 2001, AIF is committed to catalyzing social and economic change in India, and building a lasting bridge between the United States and India through high-impact interventions in education, livelihoods, public health, and leadership development. Working closely with local communities, AIF partners with NGOs to develop and test innovative solutions and with governments to create and scale sustainable impact. AIF’s programs emphasize inclusive models that focus on the unique needs of girls and women to achieve gender equity as a basis for sustainable change.
AIF was formed at the initiative of President Bill Clinton following a suggestion from Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee. AIF has impacted the lives of 3.1 million of India’s poor by providing access to high-quality education, formal sector employment for urban youth and rickshaw drivers, and public health services to protect the health of mothers and their children, while building the next generation of global leaders through service. With offices in New York and California, eleven chapters across the U.S., and India operations centered in New Delhi, AIF is transforming lives across 23 states of India while addressing these issues on a regional, country, and international scale. President Bill Clinton serves as Honorary Chair and former Ambassador to India Frank Wisner chairs the Advisory Council. Learn more at www.AIF.org
