This year, we have chosen to support two causes which are close to home and have special meaning for the Mastana team: the family of one of our presidents are big supporters of the Mook Dhwani Trust in their hometown of Vadodara, India. They have sponsored young girls through their education at the school and seen the positive impact on their confidence. As a dancer and musician herself, our president strongly believes in the power of the arts as a form of communication and a way to bring people together, which is a core value of both the Mook Dhwani Trust and Mastana. The family of our other president has a long history of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems and have been impacted by heart attacks. For this reason, they have always had a connection to charities such as the British Heart Foundation.

Due to its rapid growth, Mastana is now held at the prestigious Guildhall in Cambridge. The show provides an opportunity for students and local Cambridge residents to showcase the wide variety, diversity and range of talent that our community has to offer.

With an average committee size of 25 students and around 100 performers each year, it is the largest Asian cultural show in East Anglia. It is also the best attended student event in the region, with over 500 students, professionals and friends and family of the team in attendance.

Above all, Mastana brings together individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds to celebrate South Asian heritage, tradition, and culture whilst giving back to local communities.

Our goals for 2020 are: to repeat a sell-out show, raise a surplus of over £1,000 for our chosen charities and Inspire pride in the culture, traditions and history of South Asia.