Board of Directors

Our Board members hail from various walks of life, share a passion for service and the arts, and are committed to Silambam’s mission to forge global connections through the medium of Indian classical arts.

Click on the + sign next to each name to see more about each of our Board members below.

Veer Surapaneni +

Chair

Veer Surapaneni has been involved with Silambam Houston since 2008, first as a parent of a dance student, and then as a member of the Board of Directors. He has been actively involved in the growth of the organization, working on planning, fund raising, and marketing. Veer has worked closely with supporting organizations like the Houston Arts Alliance and the Mid-America Arts Alliance to help mature the organization and its governance, and set strategic goals. Veer has been working in the energy industry for over 20 years, and is currently IT Director at EnerVest, Ltd.

Rao Garuda +

Vice-Chair

Rao is an IT Manager in the energy sector, with expertise in Microsoft and SAP HR technologies. He is an ardent supporter of Silambam's artistic vision, having been associated with Silambam for close to a decade. He has been on the Silambam Board since 2016. He is also active in other organizations in the community, including the Meenakshi Temple and SEWA.

Anjali Kavaipatti +

Treasurer

Anjali is a Business Analyst for TotalEnergies (formerly Total) supporting Long Term Planning, Budgeting and Month Performance Reviews for the Polymers Business. She has also previously worked in Financial Reporting and Internal Control/Audits. Anjali has been part of the Silambam family since 2018 as a parent, and joined the Board of Directors in 2021.

Viraj Shah +

Secretary

Viraj is a Research Scientist within the Technical Services and Development group of the Packaging & Specialty Plastics business at The Dow Chemicals Company. He has over 15 years of experience in the polymer field creating value and opportunities and specializes in product development, application development and new business development. Viraj has been associated with Silambam for several years. He volunteered on Silambam's capital campaign in 2017 and 2018, and joined the Silambam Board in late 2018.

Yamini Abbaraju +

Director

Yamini is a general dentist and owns her practice, Life Smile Dental, in Friendswood. She has been associated with Silambam for the past 7 years as a parent and patron, and joined the Silambam Board in 2021. She is a fitness enthusiast and loves running outdoors!

Amy Gibbs +

Director

Amy Gibbs has a rich background in arts administration and organizational development. Currently the Managing Director of ROCO (River Oaks Chamber Orchestra), Amy previously served as the capacity building manager at Houston Arts Alliance. She holds a B.A. in Drama from Trinity University, and an M.S. in Arts Administration from Drexel University. Amy has been closely associated with Silambam since 2013, when she mentored the organization through the Houston Arts Alliance's Capacity Building program.

Vimal Patel +

Director

Vimal is an engineering professional with over 15 years of experience in project management, engineering, and manufacturing operations. He is currently a Senior Project Manager at BASF, having previously worked for Dow Chemical Corporation. He holds an MBA from Louisiana State University in addition to his B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Vimal has been associated with Silambam since 2016, and joined the Board in 2022.

Ruby Wadhwa +

Director

Ruby is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Texas and founded Houston Dwell to serve the real estate needs of Houston residential Buyers and Sellers who require a more clear and technical approach to home buying and land investment. A native Houstonian, with degrees in both Architectural Engineering & Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, she brings an intimate knowledge of the greater Houston area to the table, along with a critical eye for architecture and details.

Ruby has been associated with Silambam as a parent and a student since 2021, and joined the Board in 2024.

Murali Gali +

Director

Dr. Murali Gali is an experienced clinical research professional with a history of working in the hospital & health care industry. His areas of expertise include basic and clinical research, drug discovery, life sciences, and data analysis. In addition to his medical training, he holds a Master’s degree focused on Hospital Administration/Management from the University of Southern California.

His three children have been Silambam students since 2018. Dr. Gali joined the Board in 2024.

Advisory Board