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JAYA KITCHLU | Over the last thirty years Jaya Kitchlu has
acquired vast experience in the broadcasting and entertainment
industries. Her career commenced in India with broadcasting for
All India Radio as well as starring in theatrical performances.
Upon moving to Canada, she continued in this field by hosting
a radio program, called Madhuban, and compering various concerts
and stage performances. After completing training in television
broadcasting at Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology,
she assumed the role of host and co-producer of a television
program, Madhuban Doordarshan. This position gave her the opportunity
to interview many distinguished guests, including local and international
celebrities and dignitaries. Building on this television experience,
she accepted acting roles in a CBC television serial production
and several locally produced feature films. Some of these roles
have included appearances in the television serials Queer As
Folk, This is Wonderland and The Newsroom. Her motion picture
roles include That Touch of Pink and My Own Country. Pursuant
to her career as a dramatic theatre artist in India, she also
performed in a Toronto live production of Anarkali, which was
attended by hundreds of audience members.
View a short clip of the May 3,
1992 episode of Madhuban
Doordarshan hosted and co-produced by Jaya Kitchlu
(WMV format - 9.8MB download)0.42 min
Media Player Required to view video clip
Recently, much of her career
has been focused on musical performances with an emphasis on
singing and compering. Over the past twenty years, she has worked
as a professional singer, having performed in Canada, the USA
and Jamaica. One of the highlights of this musical career was
the performance given with Mr. Manna Dey, a renowned and celebrated
singer from the Indian film industry, in August 2000. Her collection
of private songs, entitled Shireen, has received much appreciation.
In addition, she has expanded the scope of her musical career
through her involvement in several feature films as a playback
singer, and by performing in and producing commercials and jingles
to promote products on radio and television. Her performances
have been documented in several national and ethnic publications,
including The Toronto Star, The Weekly Voice, Suhaag Magazine,
Mehfil Magazine, Canadian Music Network and India Journal.
Yun Hasraton Ke Daag, song performed by Jaya Kitchlu.(WMV format - 26MB download) 2.10 min
Media Player required to listen to audio clip
Jaya Kitchlu has used her career
in the entertainment industry and her prominence within Indo-Canadian
circles to also give back to the community. She has given several
live performances at fundraisers for the Canadian Cancer Society
as well as at various cultural festivals promoting South Asian
Heritage in Canada. In addition, proceeds from several of her
live performances have gone to help people displaced from natural
disasters in various parts of the world, as well as people from
war-torn countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Jaya
has also done several musical programs for various Hindu temples
in Ontario, Quebec and the United States, including the Hindu
Sabha Mandir (Brampton), Vishnu Mandir (Toronto), the Hindu Temple
of Rochester (Rochester, NY), Pranavananda Ashram (Toronto),
Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre (Mississauga) and the Hindu
Mandir (Montreal). In addition, Jaya has regularly participated
in many events to celebrate India's Independence Day.
In 2008, Jaya returned
to the airwaves as a radio broadcaster for DesiAM 770. Her nightly
radio programme was very well received, and her live call-in
show was regularly flooded with calls from loyal fans who were
drawn back to her radio and television broadcasting from the
1970s onwards.
Ms. Prabati Sen Vyas, Deputy
High Commissioner at the Indian High Commission in Ottawa has
praised Jaya Kitchlu, stating that 'her invaluable contributions
to the Indo-Canadian community in Ottawa and around the country
have shone a bright light on Indian arts and culture for all
Canadians to appreciate.' The Deputy High Commissioner attended
one of Mrs. Kitchlu's performances for the Canadian Cancer Society
in Ottawa, held in 2000.
Ms. Vyas' sentiments were echoed
by Mr. Ramesh Kumar, Consul for Cultural Matters at the Indian
Consulate General in Toronto, at an event entitled the South
Asians in Ontario Indian Independence Day Celebration in 2002.
Mr. Kumar offered Mrs. Kitchlu and all of the performers at this
event his 'warmest thanks and appreciation to all Indo-Canadians
who use their skills and talents to promote the Indian culture
in Canada.'
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