Board of Directors

Chairman of the Board:

Arif G. Kadwani is the Chairman of the Board. Born in Mumbai, India, Arif G. Kadwani has had a varied career with the US Government in Mumbai, and with a private law firm dealing with US immigration in the US. He is currently associated with a real estate holding company based in New York, N.Y. Mr. Kadwani has a long association with non-governmental organizations for the past 45 years. Mumbai, India organizations include the Cutchi Memon Students' Circle, Cutchi Memon Jamat and the Young Muslims Union. U.S. organizations include the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Institute of Indian Culture), Vraj, and the Cutchi Memon Jamat of North America. He has supported and assisted in the development of artistic activities in India and the US and has the ability to lead art and art-related organizations.

Board of Directors:

Grand Sponsor - Malkam Productions. Motto is - The Realm of the Possible.
Lead by Malkam de Sola, Malkam Productions is an organization dedicated to supporting multicultural and inter-denominational dramatic works and events--to bring greater understanding and peace to our fractured planet. Projects include Boy's Life by Harold Korder at the Abingdon Theatre and both the original and encore productions of Beneath the Banyan Tree (BTBT) in NYC as well as the Masti Sunset Cruise. Malkam is an active supporter of the UN World Conference Against Racism.

Ishrat Jahan (Rakhi) has been training in performance art since the age of 4. She began her education at the prestigious Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts of Dhaka, Bangladesh in the Indian Classical dance forms Kathak and Bharatanatayam. Pandit Satya Narayan Charka, Smt. Maya Rao (India) and Smt. Selvi Chandranathan are Masters she has trained under. Alongside her continued training in dance, Rakhi is also an educator and choreographer. She has taught rhythm, movement and sensuality of Indian dance through her semi-classical Hindi Film Dance classes at NY’s Lotus Music & Dance since 2004. Her show Rang de Nila (Color me Blue), a collaboration with visual artist Siona Benjamin, has been featured in the Chicago Tribune (March, 2006) and DNA (India, May, 2006). She has lectured and presented workshops in New Jersey, Chicago, Connecticut and New York. Always eager to explore new forms, she has transitioned her performance art from dance to acting in eyeBLINK's original play Beneath the Banyan Tree and December 2005 American Colors. Exploration has also placed her behind the camera to pursue producing/creating a documentary on the Dances of the Tribal Peoples of Bangladesh. Through her previous role of Founding Dance Director for eyeBLINK, Rakhi brings passion of performance arts in a forum to educate about dance, collaborate with artists, and create original works.

William J. Carabano, a native of Brooklyn, New York, is no stranger to diversity and multiculture, as it is ever-present in his life. Friends and family alike know him for his ability to learn phrases in many languages, as well as his respect and understanding of different customs when interacting with others. William believes that his High School, which boasted nearly 70 different nationalities, transformed his appreciation to new levels. Life experience, strong education, and outlets of expression are necessary to broaden the views of the world. William has combined this vision with eyeBLINK’s passion for the arts to create a long-term scholarship fund aimed at the very New York students that made him who he is today.

Julio Robledo, Originally from Argentina, Julio has appeared in eyeBLINK's Beneath the Banyan Tree in 2004. He is a salsa dancer and teacher and currently dances for two dance companies. His teaching style is grounded in his students understanding the dance and not just following steps. His students are encouraged to take the fundamentals and create their own style. He is a proud supporter of eyeBLINK and their projects.

Hosain Malick is originally from Fairfield, Connecticut and currently works in the finance industry. He is a supporter of the arts and enjoys helping eyeBLINK with fundraising and marketing ideas.

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