Dr. Rudrani Banik
President
Dr Rudrani (Rani) Banik is an avid lover of dance and a trained dancer herself. She began studying the Vazhuvoor style of Bharatanatyam at the age of 14 under the tutelage of Padma Bushan Kamala Lakshmi Narayan. Rani continued dancing Bharatanatyam through most her life, and is currently a student of Jiva Performing Arts. Rani has also trained in Western dance styles including salsa, ballroom, swing, and flamenco.
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Rani is a board-certified neuro-ophthalmologist, and runs a private practice called EnVision Health NYC. She also serves as Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Co-Director of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. Rani lives in New York City with her husband, Sandeep, and daughter, Lylah, who is also a student of Jiva Performing Arts.
PIYALI KOTHARI
Treasurer
Piyali Kothari was a Bharatanatyam dancer all through her childhood growing up in Chennai, India, the Bharatanatyam center of the world, and continues to have a keen interest in it today. She holds Bachelors degrees in Economics from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India and from New York University.
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Piyali lives in Manhattan with her husband, Nakul Krishnaswamy and two children. She is the admissions liaison for the Gateway School of New York, a specialized school for kids with learning disabilities. She enjoys Indian classical dancing and music, reading, travel and jewelry design.
AMI JAIN
Secretary
Ami Jain brings to Jiva a deep commitment to the preservation and expansion of classical performing arts in the New York City area. She is a yoga teacher who has taught adults and children for over 11 years and has also studied Bharatanatyam as a young adult.
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She was the co-chair of Jiva’s first Gala in 2013 and has strong experience in fund-raising for non-profit organizations such as Sakhi for South Asian Women and All Souls School. Prior to becoming a student and teacher of yoga, Ami worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for two years in financial risk assessment for regional banks. She then focused on lending to Fortune 50 companies at National Westminster Bank for three years in the Chicago and New York offices. Ami received her B.A. from The University of Michigan in Economics and French.