A Perfect Artiste

The gifted Dr. Vinod Hasal holds the rare distinction of being a maestro in not just one, but two performing arts! An 8th generation Kathak exponent and Founding Member of Drum Cafe, the versatile Hasal is one of India’s most notable exports to the world. An award-winning artiste, he has garnered international acclaim for using the arts to unite, uplift, and inspire global communities.

“What better way to understand cultures than through dance and music, which do not segregate between people on the basis of race, colour, religion and gender,” he reflects.

Dr. Hasal is the Director of R.K. Dance Theatre Inc. (India and South Africa); Founder of Mumbai Kathak Kendra; Founding Member of Drum Café; Vice Chairman of Sangeet aur Nritya Academy; Jury Member of CCRT; Resident Kathak teacher at Indian Culture Centre Johannesburg; and former Jury Member of the first Indian singing reality show – Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

While he currently divides his time between India, Africa, and the UAE, his story began in a 9-generation family of dancers and musicians in the Jaipur Gharana. Vinod was the 8th generation in this lineage and acquired his training under his father, the renowned Guru Ganesh Hiralal Hasal.

Distinguished by his flawless dancing skill, Vinod soon started winning a bevy of prestigious awards such as:

Nritya Vidh Award in 2011 and 2012 by Sarfojiraje Bhosale Institute (Mumbai).
Hind Ratna Award in 2003 by President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at the 1st Pravasi festival in Delhi.
Honoured by Bhakti Kala (ISKCON – 1992).
Honoured with Damayanti Joshi-Menaka Trophy for the Best Dancer in Maharashtra in 1986 and 1987.
State and National level Gold Medalist (twice) in Kathak at IIT Mumbai fest – Mood Indigo, and St Xavier’s College fest – Malhar in 1986, 1987 and 1988.

With his fame spreading far and wide, Vinod was invited to South Africa on a 6-month scholarship by Iskcon in 1992. As he went about promoting Indian classical dance all across Africa, 6-months turned to 20 years and Dr. Hasal became a Global force.

The 1st person to take Kathak to South Africa, Vinod ran 9 Kathak and Folk dance schools under the banner of – Radha Krishna Academy of Dance and Music – across all the major African townships. Among his 5,000 students from diverse ethnic backgrounds was Nelson Mandela’s daughter Zindziswa, prompting regular meet-ups with the Mandela family.

Dr. Hasal won the hearts of dance aficionados all over the world by performing at various events and locales. His natural grace and precision of movement was lauded by experts themselves. And he was regularly honoured on the global stage:

Honoured by ICCR in 2005 for producing the 1st African Classical Kathak Dancer in the world – Brian Sekeko, who is Vinod’s prodigy.

Honoured by both South African and Indian Governments for immense work in African townships in uniting Indo-Afro Culture.
Internationally felicitated for classical, semi-classical, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, fusion, tap, gumboot dancing, flamenco dancing and many other known forms.
Has worked closely with ICCR – Government of India, ICC – Indian Cultural Centre – Johannesburg, and Indian High Commission and Consulate for almost 2 decades.
Part of the 1st World Hindu Conference in Durban, 1992 along with Shri L.K. Advani.

Dr. Hasal truly believes in the power of dance and music to inspire and uplift. He has proactively participated in several International Dance Conferences and given various in-depth lectures on Dance in various Universities and Institutions. He has also done a lot of research and collaborative work with India, South Africa, and other countries to spread the transformative power of performing arts.

A veritable pioneer in many ways, he is credited with introducing interactive Djembe drumming in India, and is the Founding Member of the prestigious Drum Café. Speaking about the mass popularity of the instrument, he says, “Drumming requires no talent, aptitude or physical ability – just a sense of fun. Since we spend nine months of our lives six inches away from our mother’s beating heart, the beat of the drum is in all of us.”

Drum Café, the world’s no. 1 drumming company, is a hip and unique way of connecting people for entertainment and team bonding. Inspired by the African tradition of communal drumming, the company proffers team building activities through drumming and boom-whacking (an instrument for non-musicians) that unifies the crowd in a single beat, thus making corporate informal trainings fun-oriented and collaborative gatherings.

Together with his wife and Drum Café CEO Aliya Hasal, Vinod has enthralled leading companies, students, and shows by merging the lines between spectators and performers. This unique ability to create an environment that transcends the spoken word is what renders the magnetic Dr. Hasal a national treasure.