On 27th February, 2017, India’s leading performing artists and the pride of our community, Astad Deboo and Dr. Shiamak Davar, added yet another feather in the community’s cap when they were invited to meet Queen Elizabeth II in her Buckingham palace, in connection with the ‘UK-India Year Of Culture Launch’ event aimed at strengthening the special cultural partnership between the India and the UK.

Shiamak was touched by the personal interaction and the time that Her Majesty shared with each guest. “We spoke about the cultural connect and how positively Her Majesty feels towards it. It was a delight to meet her in person, everything about her is truly graceful and elegant,” said Shiamak who also interacted with other invitees from the field of entertainment and business. “More than anything, it was the joy in my mother’s eyes, of living her dream of meeting The Queen through me, that gave me immense joy!” adds Shiamak.

Last year, Shiamak and his Dance Company performed for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton during their visit to India. “I was pleasantly surprised to know they remembered me and spoke about how much they had enjoyed the performance.” Shiamak has been actively contributing to global cultural exchange through dance. Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the Middlesex University, London in 2011, Shiamak runs the world’s largest Bollywood Dance Academy and for over six years, his classes in UK have reached out to thousands of dance enthusiasts across age groups.

Astad Deboo is globally acclaimed as the pioneer of modern dance in India. One of India’s best known contemporary dancers and choreographers, he employs his training in Indian classical dance forms of Kathak as well as Kathakali to create a unique dance form.