Stella Maris College kick-starts its Platinum Jubilee Celebrations with a fund-raiser
On Sunday, August 11, 2019, Stella Maris College organised a Classical Dance Night on campus as its first initiative to raise funds towards scholarships for students with financial needs, as part of the College’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in 2022.
Dr. Francis Barboza, a leading exponent of Bharatanatyam, along with his team from New Jersey performed on the theme ‘Bharatanatyam beyond the boundaries of religion’. Some of the highlights of the evening’s performance include a Varnam based on the theme of love of God composed by Guru Mohan Raj and Ramani and Choreographed by Dr. Francis himself, a sloka from Christu Baghavatham composed by Prof. P.C. Devsya and a Thillana based on the story of death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, along with other traditional pieces of the classical dance form. Some of the pieces chosen for the performance were choregraphed by Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Professor C.V. Chandrasekar.
Dr. Francis Barboza is a disciple of several eminent gurus over the years, including Prof. C.V. Chandrasekar who was his mentor and guide at M.S. University, Baroda. He currently runs Satyaradhana Institute of performing Arts and conducts Bharatanatyam classes in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York. He is recognised as the only dancer worldwide to creatively unite the religions of Christianity and Hinduism in his presentations. He has also been recognised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to represent and lead cultural delegations abroad for the Government of India. The other dancers of the evening include Jeeno, Pragathi, Theyju and Malathy, disciples of Dr. Barboza.
The Stella Maris College
Stella Maris College is an Arts and Science Catholic Minority College run and governed by the society of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. The college was founded in 1947 and it will soon be celebrating its Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The college aims at empowering young women from all backgrounds through Education thereby also promoting social change and responsible citizenship. The institution also aims at fostering an inclusive community by bringing together different cultures and making the learning vibrant and nourishing.
