A few words
About Us
History
Pandit Jasraj and Vancouver, Lower Mainland
Starting in 1980, Panditji came to Vancouver for several concerts. During one of these visits in 1989, some music enthusiasts requested him to offer vocal music workshops. He offered his first set of workshops in 1990. With the dedication and commitment shown by the students, Panditji agreed to make this an annual event and started visiting Vancouver every year since then.
During other months of the year, Panditji’s senior students also came here to continue the music workshops.
These annual classical music workshops became the foundation of the school. Pandit Jasraj School of Music Foundation was incorporated in 1994 as a Society in the Province of British Columbia.
In the following year, 1995, we hosted our inaugural concert featuring Pandit Jasrajji, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath and Shweta Jhaveri. In 1996 we hosted the first American concert featuring the three maestros Pandit Jasrajji, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasiaji and Ustad Zakir Hussain. We also produced a set of 2 cds of this concert which were marketed by Music India worldwide.
Since then the school has hosted over 60 concerts featuring prominent vocalists, instrumentalists, percussionists and dancers. Click here for details.
PJSOM at Present
For the past 25 years, we have been providing vocal workshops on a weekly basis. Currently, we are providing workshops in two levels, beginner and intermediate. We continue to host three concerts every year, featuring some of the finest musicians.
Members of the Board:
President: Acharya Asha Lohia
Acharya Asha Lohia, is the founding member and current President of PJSOM. Asha hails from Kolkata, India. She is a direct disciple of Guruji, Pandit Jasrajji, who accepted her as a disciple in 1995. Vocal music is her passion. However, Asha is a notary public and has practiced for the last 27 years on Broadway in Vancouver.
In July 2011, Asha Lohia was recognized for her pioneering work in establishing the Mewati Gurukul in North America in 1990, she was given the title Acharya by the Pandit Jasraj Institute of Music New York.
Board of Directors:
Teresa Rehman
Teresa Rehman was born in Suva, Fiji Islands, and came to Canada as a teenager in 1966.
Teresa has worked all her life in the library and nowhere else: senior clerical supervisor at Vancouver Public Library for 17 years; Children’s and Community Services Librarian for 30 years at the Coquitlam Public Library. She serves as Vice-President of PJSOM and is also a student in the School’s senior class. Teresa works full-time in community work: Vice-President of Fiji Canada Association; Secretary of the Catholic Women’s League of St. Peter’s Parish in New Westminster; active volunteer for 30 years of Sanatan Dharm Society in Burnaby (Shiv Mandir). Teresa loves to read, cook, bake, invite people to her house for meals, and enjoys sharing her cooking and baking with others. Teresa loves to sing Hindu bhajans, Christian hymns, and Bollywood oldies and English rock and pop of the 50s, 60s and 70s, live and on Karaoke.
Kamala Cherukupalli
Kamala hails from India and has been a connoisseur of Indian Classical music , both Hindustani and Carnatic style from Early age. She had training in Hindustani classical singing in early school years and after a long gap has started learning from Acharya Asha Lohia from 2017. She has a PhD degree from the University of British Columbia and worked several years in UBC, Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, and as a Regional Manager for a Financial Serviced Company. Since her retirement in 2017, she spends her time in voluntary services and spiritual activities. She joined the Board of Directors from 2018.
Jyoti Malik
Jyoti Malik, originally from New Delhi, India, is now settled in Vancouver for the past 29 years. An Arts graduate from Delhi University, with a diploma in Textile Designing , is a blend of artistic expression and entrepreneurial spirit. With a passion for music, arts and fashion ,her journey has been one of creative exploration across different countries. She began her professional career in Dubai working as a merchandiser for a fashion house.
After relocating to Canada, She worked in Vancouver at Roger’s/Shaw as a sales and marketing coordinator for 7 years. She brought her passion to life by establishing her own boutique, a vibrant store specializing in ethnic Indian clothing, jewelry and accessories, blending traditional elegance with contemporary flair.
Her passion for music started early on from school days participating in many choir groups and events at school and college levels.
As the saying goes, “When the soul is ready, the right teacher appears -and passion, once quiet, begins to sing “. This led to her desire to learn Hindustani classical music under the tutelage of Acharya Asha Lohiaji, from 2017.
She joined the Board of Directors in 2019.
She is an active member of a spiritual group and participates in various Seva and bhajan singing events.
She brings to the music school a rich cultural background, and an unwavering commitment to nurture her passion of Hindustani Classical music.
She has a passion for music, painting and baking.
Avinanda Mukhopadhyay
Avinanda hails originally from India. She started learning Hindustani classical music in Kolkata since six years of age. She performed widely in Kolkata and London.
Her music journey has continued throughout. She’s currently in training under Acharya Asha Lohia ji and Pandit Sougata Banerjee ji (both disciples of Padmavibhushan Pandit Jasraj ji). Avinanda runs a vocal music school by the name of Taranga Sangeet, which provides instruction in classical and semi classical genres in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver.
Her hobbies include gardening, reading and cooking. She loves her tea and is always experimenting with different flavours.
She’s done some volunteering work for Heart and Stroke Foundation for two years.
Veena Avinashi
Veena was born in Shimla but spent her early childhood years in Washington D.C. as her father worked as an accountant in the Indian Embassy there. She moved back to India when she was 10 years old and after another decade or so there, moved back abroad after graduation and marriage, for 9 months to London, England and then to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for the next 35 years.
She worked as a Substitute Teacher in Saskatoon and also as an Assistant Supervisor with the Ministry of Social Services for 14 years. She moved to Vancouver in 2012.
Over the years she has always been involved in Community Service being President of the Hindu Society of Saskatchewan; President of the India Canada Cultural Association in Saskatoon; Social Secretary of the ICCA; Chair of the Board of Trustees of Hindu Society of Sask; Volunteer for the Canadian Cancer Society; Volunteer for the Heart and Stroke Foundation; Director of the Hindu Temple Burnaby and for the last year – a Director of the Pandit Jasraj School of Music.
She has lots of hobbies- cooking, art, elocution, ceramics, reading, cake decorating, handicrafts, doll making, paper tole, crocheting and music/singing.
It is in pursuit of learning and improving her skills in singing that she connected with Acharya Asha Lohia Ji and she is enjoying it thoroughly
Hitesh Jain
Hitesh Jain, born in Punjab, India, moved to Canada in 2010. Since then, he has worked in the customer service industry and, after over 10 years in the corporate world, is now a successful real estate professional in BC.
Beyond his career, Hitesh has been actively involved in community service. He has served as a board member of the Jain Centre of BC for over 14 years and is also on the board of the Indo Pacific Foundation of Canada, a non-profit dedicated to building stronger ties between BC and the Indo-Pacific region.
Hitesh began singing at the age of 5 and started learning light classical music at 9. With his parents’ encouragement, music has been a lifelong passion. He considers his true musical journey to have begun under the guidance of Acharya Sh. Asha Lohia ji, through his connection with PJSOM, which he calls a true blessing.
Hitesh is happily married to Reha and is a proud father to two daughters, Chaahat and Sainna.
Arvind Parmar
Arvind is a seasoned IT strategist and the founder of a premier technology consultancy based in Vancouver. Since relocating to the city in the early 2000s, he has evolved from a hands-on web developer into a business leader who manages a dedicated team of IT professionals, delivering high-impact solutions to clients across the Lower Mainland and major urban centers throughout Canada.
Beyond his professional life, Arvind is a committed advocate for the arts and a supporter of his children’s passion for Indian classical music. He joined the board of the Pandit Jasraj School of Music (PJSOM) as a Director shortly after his daughter began her studies under the guidance of Acharya Asha Lohia ji. Today, he remains passionate about leveraging his organizational expertise to foster the school’s growth and preserve musical heritage within the local community.
