UGF Team
Who We Are
DR. R A MASHELKAR, F.R.S
CHIEF PATRON
UGF is honored to have the patronage of an illustrious leader and visionary, like Dr. R Mashelkar whose esteemed guidance and direction towards the mission of imparting quality education in Skill Development are instrumental to the progress of the Foundation’s Institution.
Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, National Research Professor, was the longest-serving (1995-2006) Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), also Chairman of National Innovation Foundation (2000-2018). He was the President of the Indian National Science Academy (2004-2006), as also the President of Global Research Alliance (2007-2018).
Uday Bhanudas Gujar
Founder Director
Uday Bhanudas Gujar, the esteemed Founder of the Uday Gujar Foundation, has over 50 years of distinguished service as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
He has had an illustrious career and is known for his significant contributions to his field. He was a member of the Research Committee and SMP Committee of The Central Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He also served as the Chairman of the Building Committee for the Poona CA Institute, and played a pivotal role in the construction of the esteemed CA Institute premises in Bibwewadi, Pune.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Mr. Gujar is deeply involved with various social organizations. He is the Vice President of Swarup-Wardhinee, an institution renowned for its comprehensive development initiatives for children from underprivileged and lower middle-class backgrounds. He has also served on the Board of Trustees of Khandala Vibhag Shikshan Samiti for over 15 years, where he has contributed in several areas to impact the education of over 8000 students across 15 village schools. Additionally, Mr. Gujar's commitment to environmental conservation is evident through his role as a Trustee with the Devrai Foundation. Mr. Gujar also served on the Academic Council of Pune University 2019-2023.
Moreover, Mr. Gujar is a connoisseur of the arts, a skilled photographer, and a staunch adherent of Gandhian philosophy, embodying a multifaceted approach to his pursuits and passions.
R. Vasudevan
Director
R. Vasudevan holds a bachelors’ degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pune. He has also completed an “Owner President Management Program from the Harward Business School. Presently Mr Vasudevan is a Chairman –Vascon Engineers Pvt. Ltd., Pune.
He has been awarded the Top Management Consortium Award of Excellence for the year 2005, the “Construction World -Top Builder Award” in 2007, Award for Life Time Achievements by the Alumni Association of College of Engineering, Pune in 2005 and the South Indian Education Society on the occasion of its Platinum Jubilee (1932-2008) honoured and felicitated Mr. R. Vasudevan as a distinguished alumni. He has also been felicitated with Life Time Achievement Award of the Year at 9th Realty Plus Awards.
Urmila Gujar
Director
Urmila Gujar is the co-founder of UGF. She is a dedicated School Psychologist with over three decades of experience in the realm of education - specializing in comprehensive child development, intelligence development, cultivating effective study techniques, and value education.
Along with a diverse experience in providing training to educators, as well as offering adept guidance and counseling services to both parents and teachers through esteemed institutions such as Jnana Prabodhini and Swaroop Wardhinee, alongside her private practice, Urmila has been an active researcher and has created valuable reference material and published research papers in the field of education. As a co-author of the popular book "Hasat Khelat Buddhivikas," Urmila exemplifies her dedication to nurturing the potential of young minds.
She is passionate about charitable work and has been working on various initiatives and projects for children from rural areas and for the upliftment of children from underprivileged backgrounds. She actively serves on the boards of UG Foundation and Saraswati Vidya Mandir.
Mahesh Kale
Director
India's National Award-winning vocalist, Mahesh Kale, based in San Francisco Bay Area is renowned for his specialization in North Indian classical, semi-classical, natya-sangeet, and devotional music. Kale, after winning India’s National Film Award as the Best Playback Singer, for his classical piece in the film Katyar Kaljat Ghusli (2016), has firmly established himself as a face of Indian classical music of the new generation and has performed extensively across India, US, Europe, UAE, and Southeast Asia. Mahesh Kale has received a proclamation from the US House of Representatives US Congressman Shri Thanedar for successfully bridging the gap between classical and non-classical audiences, creating a shared platform for them to enjoy together. He has played a key role in bringing Hindustani Classical Music into the mainstream with a touch of modern glamour. Recently in March 2024, Mahesh Kale was recognized as Maharashtra Time’s Youth Icon. Honed in the Gurukul system of learning from the legendary Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, he has an illustrious pedigree, and his thrilling performances bear this out.
Mahesh maintains an open outlook towards music to reach out to the new generation while retaining the traditions. He has performed with world percussionists including Zakir Hussain, Trilok Gurtu, and Sivamani, and instrumentalists like Pedro Eustache, George Brooks, and Frank Martin, in fusion and collaborative works, ably demonstrating his versatility as a composer and singer. In an effort to spread awareness and education about Indian classical music in the western world, Mahesh has given lecture-demonstrations and talks at various academic institutions including Stanford University, Harvard University, TEDx, and the Commonwealth Club.
Kale is a founder of the Indian Classical Music and Arts (ICMA) Foundation, a non-profit focused on preserving, nurturing, and celebrating Indian Classical Music. Kale is also a teacher and an inspiration for a motivated student body of over a thousand students across the globe through his music school, MKSM, which is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Purva Gujar – Kale
Director
Purva Gujar–Kale has devoted nearly two decades to Dolby Labs, where she currently holds the position of Technical Product Manager within the esteemed Cinema Technology Group. Notably, she contributed to the core engineering team behind the Dolby Atmos Cinema Sound System, which received recognition with an Academy Award at the 2024 Technical Oscars. Her academic credentials include a Bachelors of Engineering (BE) in Electronics and Telecommunications from Cummins College of Engineering, complemented by both Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Media Arts and Technology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. Gujar-Kale is committed to cultural preservation and enrichment as the co-founder of the Indian Classical Music and Arts (ICMA) Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area, dedicated to preserving, nurturing, and celebrating Indian Classical Music.
Purab Gujar
Director
Purab holds a degree in Electronics from Pune University and has completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, Mumbai.
He began his career with Siemens in Germany, specializing in Supply Chain Management. After returning to India, he co-founded Cameo Media Laboratories in January 2006. Under his leadership, Cameo Media is undertaking a pilot project to restore the audio of 2,000 Indian movies.
Purab is a dedicated investment consultant who adheres to Warren Buffet's principles of value investing. He manages his partners' funds under the name “Cameo Investments.”
Nandini Rao – Gujar
Director
Vidushi Nandini Rao Gujar is a next-gen performer of Carnatic and devotional music with over 25 years of experience.
Nandini has brought the classical strains of Kannada dasarapada to audiences across Australia, Europe, Asia, and America, collaborating with international musicians and artists while showcasing our tradition's ability to adapt to different styles, cultures, and generations. Her unique contribution to devotional music was recognized by the Government of India, which awarded her the Bismilla Khan Yuva Puraskar in 2024, and the Government of Karnataka, which conferred the prestigious Kempegowda Award on her in 2006.
Nandini holds a Master's degree in Music and an MBA from Bangalore University. Performing in 15 different Indian languages, her concerts feature Abhang, Kirtan, Gurubani, Garba, and Rabindra Sangeet, offering a unique devotional musical experience to international and pan-Indian audiences. Her thematic workshops attract hundreds of students and have been conducted at institutions such as Cambridge University and the University of Alberta.
Nandini is an 'A grade' artist of All India Radio and has over 100 albums to her name. She is widely popular on social media, with her YouTube videos amassing over 15 million views. She also anchors, writes, and sings in multiple YouTube series: Temples of India, Festivals of India, Music of Karnataka, and Haridasa Sahitya, bringing Indian culture into focus. Her live and recorded shows on TV channels such as Zee Kannada, Sri Sankara, Suvarna, and Doordarshan are hugely popular among people of all ages.
