Performers

Penn Masala

Penn Masala, the world's first and premier Hindi a cappella group, was formed in 1996 by a group of students at the University of Pennsylvania. After breakthrough performances at Bhangra Blowout in 1998 and SASA 1999, the group took the nation by storm and went on to perform for sold-out crowds in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Houston, and Philadelphia.

Penn Masala's music has been influenced by the Eastern and Western cultures that represent the group's membership and it continues to inspire the South-Asian American population.

Dil Se

UC Berkeley's Dil Se was founded by Arjun Ohri in 2004 after many semesters of being just a dream. Dil Se combines the melody-based raagas of Hindi Film Music with the depth and harmony that drive western music to create a fresh perspective on the traditional A Cappella singing act. The group combines a wide range of experience, from years of training in Hindustani and Carnatic music, to Western Classical and Jazz Choirs, even countless mornings of singing in the shower. Our goal is to entertain the audience with a well-rounded performance that emanates Dil Se -- "from the heart".

Asha for Education

Asha was founded in Berkeley in 1991 with the goal of providing basic education to underprivileged children in India. In the years since its inception, the organisation has grown to having chapters all over the united states and in other countries as well.

The members of the Berkeley chapter are mostly students from Cal (UC Berkeley). There are also members who work in and around Berkeley. The focus of the group is to raise awareness among the student and the local community about the need for promoting basic education in India. The group funds a number of educational projects in rural India and maintains a close personal involvement with them.

Funding is raised from cultural events as well as individual donations. Some of our events like 'Images of India' are very popular in the bay area. The Berkeley chapter also works closely with the other Bay Area chapters, the Stanford and the Silicon Valley chapter, to organize large events.