Prashant Kakad

Prashant Kakad, also known by his stage name DJ Prashant, is an Indian-born Bollywood entertainer, best known for singing, dancing and hosting Jai Ho! parties across the Western United States. He is the owner of Bollywood Dreams Entertainment.[1]

Prashant moved from India to the U.S. in June 2003 to complete a Science PhD program at Cornell University. After receiving a patent and obtaining his Master's degree, he quit the program to enter a career at Intel in 2006. Prashant left Intel after three and a half years to follow his passion and establish Bollywood Dreams Entertainment "to foster communities and bring people together from across the world."

Early Life and Career

Prashant was born in Nasik, India & raised in Mumbai, India, where he resided through college. He obtained a Bachelor of Technology degree in Fiber Science and Textile Processing from the University Institute of Chemical Technology (formerly UDCT). He moved to Ithaca, New York in 2003, where he obtained a Master of Science degree in Polymer Science from Cornell University.

At Cornell, Prashant served as a research assistant and as a member of the Graduate Student Assembly. He has a United States patent, "Electrospun Nanofibers-Based Biosensor Assemblies." [2] He was also published in multiple engineering journals.[3][4][5]

Prashant went on to work as a process engineer for Intel, one of the world's leading technology companies.[6][7]

Musical Career and Jai Ho!

After dedicating much of his young professional life to science, Prashant left his position at Intel for a career in performance. Inspired by the culture of his birthplace, India, he went on to establish Bollywood Dreams Entertainment, a production company focused on the creation of Bollywood and Bhangra-inspired crossover music, dance and related cultural experiences and events. The company's missions include fostering cultural and community growth and encouraging exuberant fun, acceptance and discovery through dance, song, videos and enriching cultural exchanges.[8]

Kakad and his team lead regular Jai Ho! dance parties, as well as performances at Portland's India Festival, World Domination Summit and other events that have featured Prashant, his dance troupe and guest Bollywood DJs (from Mumbai and South Asia).[9] He has worked with top Indian soundtrack remixer DJ Suketu.[10]

Prashant’s work has been featured on TV-Asia, King5-TV, KGW-TV and in newspapers such as The Oregonian, The Asian Reporter and Helena Air.[11][12][13][14][15]

In his 2011 TEDx talk, he shared his story of a transformation from Intel engineer to one of America’s top Bollywood entertainers.[16]

Personal Life

Prashant resides in Portland, Oregon. He enjoys meditation, yoga and Indian and Western classical singing.

References

  1. ↑ "Bhangra music -- and dancing -- is getting big in Portland". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  2. ↑ Frey, Margaret W.; Baeumner, Antje J.; Li, Dapeng; Kakad, Prashant (Feb 3, 2009), Electrospun nanofiber-based biosensor assemblies, retrieved 2016-06-17
  3. ↑ User, Super. "Formation of Nanofibers via Electrospinning". www.joogroup.org. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  4. ↑ "Self-Assembled Structures in Electrospun Poly(styrene-block-isoprene) Fibers" (PDF).
  5. ↑ "Structure developments in electrospun fibers of block copolymers / by Prashant Ashok Kakad.".
  6. ↑ "Intel Company Overview". Intel. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  7. ↑ "Bhangra music -- and dancing -- is getting big in Portland". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  8. ↑ "Bhangra music -- and dancing -- is getting big in Portland". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  9. ↑ TEDx Talks (2011-06-18), TEDxConcordiaUPortland - Prashant Kakad - "Bollywood-The Timing is Right", retrieved 2016-06-17
  10. ↑ "Bhangra music -- and dancing -- is getting big in Portland". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  11. ↑ "Bollywood Dance Teacher | Bollywood DJ | Indian DJ". Bollywood Dreams Entertainment, LLC. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  12. ↑ Record, MARGA LINCOLN Independent. "Bollywood is back: Traveling troupe returning with Indian music and dancing". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  13. ↑ Record, MARGA LINCOLN Independent. "Bollywood Night comes to Helena". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  14. ↑ TEGNA. "Bollywood dance parties offer new club scene". KING. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  15. ↑ "Bhangra music -- and dancing -- is getting big in Portland". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  16. ↑ TEDx Talks (2011-06-18), TEDxConcordiaUPortland - Prashant Kakad - "Bollywood-The Timing is Right", retrieved 2016-06-17
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