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Back in 2006, a handful of Marathi families around Ann Arbor came together with a shared vision. Their vision was to pass the legacy of Maharashtrian values on to the youth from our community. What started as a small gathering of like-minded families went on to evolve into what is today known as Ann Arbor Marathi Mandal (A2MM).

A2MM is a registered, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that fosters the spirit of Marathi culture and is focused on creating a strong support system for all those who have landed in Michigan to pursue their dreams.

Dipti Savale

President

Dipti Savale

President

Dipti Savale is the 2025 President for A2MM. Dipti is originally from Nagpur and professionally an Automotive Software Engineer. Her husband, Ketan, is from Pune, and he was the President of A2MM in 2021. Their son, Sharav, is in 4th grade, and it is for him that she feels so deeply connected to this organization. A2MM is not just a community for her, it is a way for her to relive her childhood memories and pass them on to the next generation. Art is her passion, and she finds immense joy in painting and creating different forms of artwork. If you ever find her lost in thought, chances are she is immersed in colors, brushes, and canvases inside her own head! In the summer, Dipti's family loves biking—both motorbiking and cycling—as well as kayaking. Winters, on the other hand, are all about cozy gatherings with friends, filled with music and karaoke. Dipti's love for Marathi culture is beyond words. Our festivals, our traditions, our food, and especially our women, who look stunning in Paithanis, nath, and chandrakor—they are the very essence of our rich heritage.

Dipti's vision:
"Through A2MM, my vision is simple—to help our children experience the beauty of Marathi culture, just as we all did growing up. I want them to embrace our language, traditions, and values with pride. This year, my team and I are committed to bringing unique and engaging events that strengthen our bond with our roots. I encourage each one of you to actively participate, celebrate, and carry forward our beautiful traditions."

Email:president@a2mm.org

Anuj Dabholkar

Vice-President

Anuj Dabholkar

Vice-President

A2MM Vice President Anuj Dabholkar is an automotive professional by trade while he enjoys creating content and writing in his spare time. A voracious reader by nature, he loves losing himself in a big fat novel whenever he is not on dad duty. On weekends, one will find him hiking in the woods or sweating it out at a park-run. A fun fact about him is that he did a short stint as a cartoonist for a Marathi periodical back in India.

Anuj's vision:
"As the VP this year, my goal is to encourage our members to get actively involved in the A2MM activities from day one. Because it's a great way to help our kids connect with their Maharashtrian roots. Not only that, it is the perfect platform to showcase your potential on and off stage in a safe no-judgement environment. The bonds you forge within A2MM do last a lifetime! My vision is to make sure that we nurture this spirit of family (कुटुंब) every single step of the way."

Email:vicepresident@a2mm.org

2025 A2MM Executive Committee

Saket Thote

Programs

Saket Thote

Programs

Saket Thote leads the Programs tower for A2MM this year. Saket is also an ex-President for A2MM. Saket comes from a family of three generations of teachers, from Nagpur. So, he loves to provide - विनामूल्य सल्ला !! Saket's family of five consists of his lovely wife Mugdha, their two daughters – Shakti & Suryaa and a PWD – Portia. Their family loves hiking, backpacking / camping & are part of Dhol Tasha Pathak! A2MM has become an extended family for them since they became part of it in 2019; their kids even met their best friends for the first time at A2MM!

Uma Visai

Entertainment

Uma Visai

Entertainment

Uma Visai leads the Entertainment tower for A2MM this year. She has lived in Canton, Michigan for 27 years and has been a member of A2MM (and MMD) for a very long time. In her new role this year, she and her team hope to bring you all some terrific entertainment and fun programs throughout the year. In her spare time, Uma enjoys dancing, traveling, and experiencing new places and cultures.

Vrushali Dabak

Operations

Vrushali Dabak

Operations

Vrushali Dabak-Khare leads the Operations tower for A2MM this year. Hematologist-oncologist by profession but a social "Punekar" at heart. Vrushali can never rest her brain, likes to hike, and wants to travel the world, stay fit, and keep meeting new interesting people. In her new role as lead of the Operations tower, her goal is to stay connected with the Marathi community in the greater Ann Arbor area and to get people out of their comfort zones to work together in various committees and have fun. A fun fact about Vrushali is that she doesn’t like dressing up, wearing make-up and cannot drape a saree on her own. 😊

Archana Mudiraj

Organization Development

Archana Mudiraj

Organization Development

Archana Mudiraj leads the Organizational Development tower for A2MM and is also the Secretary of the Board of Trustees. A Michigan resident for over 20 years, she has been an active A2MM member and volunteer since 2011. An IT professional by trade, Archana balances her technical expertise with a passion for the arts—she loves dancing and enjoys hiking in her free time. She is also a dedicated member of Chinmaya Mission, where she finds joy in teaching Vedanta and Hindu culture to middle and high school students. A fun fact about Archana: while she is now thriving in the IT field in the U.S., she originally trained and worked as a physician in India—a testament to her adaptability and lifelong commitment to learning.

2025 A2MM Board of Trustees

Mandar Deshpande

Community Liaison

Mandar Deshpande

Community Liaison

Mandar Deshpande serves as a Community Liaison on the A2MM Board of Trustees.

Sailly Sawant

Community Liaison

Sailly Sawant

Community Liaison

Sailly Sawant serves as a Community Liaison on the A2MM Board of Trustees. Sailly works as a Coordinator at TJMaxx and lives in the Ypsilanti area with her husband, Sachin, her son, Kartik and their dog, Guru. Singing & Cooking are her two passions. Sailly is an outgoing person and loves to talk with people, especially new families and members so that they feel more comfortable in आपले मंडळ A2MM.

Amitabh Mudiraj

Chair

Amitabh Mudiraj

Chair

Amitabh Mudiraj has been with A2MM since 2011 and has played multiple leadership role. Currently he is serving a 3-year term on the A2MM Board of Trustees as the Chairman. A2MM was a place where Amitabh was able to bring out all his cultural skills. Amitabh loves dancing and he also makes everyone around him dance -- so much so that he has been crowned the "Flash-Mob King" of A2MM. He also likes to sing and has done various stage-shows where he has demonstrated his singing and dancing skills. Amitabh also choreographs dances for various multicultural shows. Amitabh is also an avid sportsperson and loves cricket. He has played in the Detroit Cricket League (DCL) and has served on their board. In recent years. He and his wife have picked a new hobby of hiking and have done some famous multi-day local and international hikes. Amitabh has also been part of Chinmaya AVantika's Mission family and have been teaching upper elementary kids various epics like The Mahabharata and The Ramayana. During the day, Amitabh works for Accenture and leads the software platform and product development teams.

Archana Mandhare

Secretary

Archana Mandhare

Secretary

Archana Mandhare is the current Secretary of the Board of Trustees for A2MM. Novi, Michigan has been her home for over 20 years, where she lives with her husband and their daughter. With a Master’s degree in Geriatrics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Archana has always been passionate about helping and caring for others. A2MM has been a special part of her life since 2016. Over the years, Archana has enjoyed being actively involved in our community’s events and celebrations, and she cherishes the friendships and connections she has made along the way. Outside of A2MM, you’ll often find Archana dancing, traveling, cooking, or enjoying a good movie. As a Board of Trustees member, her goal is to help preserve and nurture the rich culture and values that make A2MM such a warm and welcoming family.

Dipti Savale

President

Dipti Savale

President

Siddharth Shende

Ex-President

Siddharth Shende

Ex-President

Siddharth co-leads the sponsorship team along with Ketan Savale and Valmik Darade, the External events team along with Uma Kanade and most importantly helps all the other committees with whatever he can. Earlier he has served as a Treasurer, Vice President and then President for 2024. Now he contributes to the Board of Trustees.

Reshma Upasani

Treasurer

Reshma Upasani

Treasurer

Reshma Upasani is the Co-Treasurer for A2MM this year along with Pallavi Darade. Reshma is an Accountant by trade and lives in Canton, MI with her husband, Amit, and two kids.

Email:treasurer@a2mm.org

Pallavi Darade

Treasurer

Pallavi Darade

Treasurer

Pallavi Darade is the Co-Treasurer for A2MM this year along with Reshma Upasani. Pallavi has been with the A2MM family for the past four years. She is responsible for managing the Mandal's finances ensuring that our funds are used effectively to support cultural events, social programs. In her spare time, Pallavi likes to cook a variety of foods from different cuisines around the world.

Email:treasurer@a2mm.org

2025 A2MM Core Team

Nishad Tupe

Communication

Nishad Tupe

Communication

Nishad Tupe leads the Communications team at A2MM. At home, Nishad is surrounded by wonderful spouse, two energetic kids and a furry friend. Nishad believes in the power of engaging communications and also enjoys the creative side of his role, crafting flyers and videos for promotions.When he's not crafting compelling narratives, you'll find Nishad exploring music (guitar, especially, plus singing!), planning his next travel adventure, or indulging in delicious food. Of course for Nishant, nothing beats a good dog walk and playtime with his kids.

Gargi Phansalkar

Marketing

Gargi Phansalkar

Marketing

Gargi Phansalkar co-leads the Marketing team at A2MM with Srikant Bokil.Gargi is from Pune, Maharashtra and is by profession an Event Planner and a Social Media Manager. She is also an experienced Kathak artist. So in her free time, she practices kathak but also loves to travel and read Hindu Mythology books. Gargi also loves cooking exotic dishes for her husband.

Shrikant Bokil

Marketing

Shrikant Bokil

Marketing

Shrikant Bokil co-leads the Marketing team at A2MM with Gargi Phansalkar. Shrikant supports tasks such as creating event flyers, creating social media posts, sending regular communication emails to our distribution list and to the multiple WhatsApp groups regarding upcoming events and community happenings. Shrikant is an outdoors person and enjoys being in nature. This is his first year as an A2MM volunteer.

Ashwini Halapeti

Food

Ashwini Halapeti

Food

Ashwini Halapeti co-leads the Food team with Alpana Ravan. Ashwini is a foodie who loves to exploring different cuisines and experiment with food. She is also passionate about playing chess and making crafts. Currently, Ashwini has gotten into exploring and experimenting with a variety of mocktail drink recipes.

Alpana Ravan

Food

Alpana Ravan

Food

Alpana Ravan co-leads the Food team at A2MM with Ashwini Halepeti and are looking to serve up a great year ahead. Alpana is still trying to figure out what she enjoys more - eating food or feeding others — but either way, it’s all about the love for food. She has been an IT programming mentor for middle and high school robotics teams for years — nothing beats the thrill of commanding a 120-pound robot using JAVA commands. Hiking is a recent hobby she has embraced, and this year, she is excited to explore new places and discover hidden trails.

Arvind Bhosle

Infrastructure

Arvind Bhosle

Infrastructure

Arvind Bhosle leads the Infrastructure team at A2MM. Arvind and his wife, Smita have two children: a high school senior and a middle schooler. They've been active members of A2MM since 2017. Arvind's Infrastructure team is a dedicated group of volunteers who value teamwork, hard work, and fun. Arvind joined the team about a year back as a volunteer to learn about organizing large events and to make meaningful connections. This year, he is proud to lead the team and grow it! We handle the physical aspects like setup and breakdown of event stations, including registration, refreshments, and meals and any needed support to run the event smoothly. More volunteers are always needed and welcome to make our events successful! Together, we can make a real difference.

Anuja Surgude

Decoration

Anuja Surgude

Decoration

Anuja Surgude leads the Decoration team at A2MM. Anuja is a creative / digital design freelancer by trade and enjoy creating real and digital works of art - both still and moving formats.

Shubhada Kulkarni

Registration

Shubhada Kulkarni

Registration

Shubhada Kulkarni leads the Registration team at A2MM. Her registration team is the first set of friendly faces that you'll often see at any A2MM event. Shubhada is an IT project manager by trade and lives in Canton, MI with her husband, Ajeet and their two sons, Arav and Saket. Shubhada loves hiking, trekking, running 10K and half-marathon races, and most things outdoors. Shubhada also enjoys tending to her vegetable garden with Ajeet.

Sourabh Deshpande

Sourabh Deshpande

Sourabh Deshpande co-leads the IT team at A2MM with Shama Dabade-Deshpande. Outside of his professional life, Sourabh is a devoted family man, sharing his life with his wife, Devaki, and their daughter, Shambhavi. He has a deep passion for music and enjoys hiking, finding balance between work, family, and other personal hobbies.

Shama Dabade

Shama Dabade

Shama Dabade-Deshpande co-leads the IT team at A2MM with Sourabh Deshpande. Shama is an application systems analyst/programmer by trade at Michigan Medicine and is a technologist at heart. Shama lives in Canton, MI with her husband, Mandar and their son, Sahil.

Nachiket Kasarekar

Production & Support

Nachiket Kasarekar

Production & Support

Nachiket Kasarekar leads Production & Support at A2MM. Nachiket is a business development leader by trade and has lived in Novi, MI for ~eight years.

Siddharth Shende

External Events

Siddharth Shende

External Events

Uma Kanade

External Events

Uma Kanade

External Events

Uma Kanade co-leads External Events at A2MM with Siddharth Shende. Uma lives in Canton, MI with her husband, Ajay along with their two daughters - Meera and Nihira.

2025 A2MM Clubs

Atul Chavan

Karaoke

Atul Chavan

Karaoke

Atul Chavan co-leads the Karaoke Club at A2MM with Suraj Naikwade.

Suraj Naikwade

Karaoke

Suraj Naikwade

Karaoke

Suraj Naikwade, a program manager by trade, co-leads the Karaoke Club at A2MM with Atul Chavan. Singing has always been a passion of Suraj's and he is excited to bring us all together to share the joy of music. Beyond karaoke, Suraj loves organizing events, video shooting and editing, exploring the outdoors through kayaking, camping, and road trips. And if you ever want to chat over a cup of chai, he's always up for a discussion on history—especially about Shivaji Maharaj! He looks forward to making this year full of great music and even better memories!

Gauri Pawar

Katta

Gauri Pawar

Katta

Gauri Pawar co-leads the Katta initiative at A2MM with Shibani Sapre. Her role involves facilitating Katta sessions - thoughtful discussions on simple yet important topics that impact our daily lives. Their goal is to create a space for meaningful conversations that resonate with everyday experiences. Gauri has a hard time picking a favorite hobby because she enjoys so many! Gauri loves playing badminton, watching Bollywood movies, hiking, and singing. She looks forward to engaging discussions and shared learning with all of you!

Shibani Sapre

Katta

Shibani Sapre

Katta

Shibani Sapre co-leads the Katta initiative at A2MM with Gauri Pawar. Shibani lives in Novi, Michigan with her husband Ranjit and 2 kids- Kartik and Durga. She has been a member of A2MM since 2016 and an integral part of Decoration team for the past two years. This year she has taken up the responsibility as Katta lead. In this role, she brings her commitment and enthusiasm to the forefront, tirelessly seeking out captivating personalities to share their stories and insights with our members.Shibani loves to paint, draw Mehendi , dance and her recent new found passion for exploration takes her hiking every week, where she finds inspiration in nature’s beauty.

Asmita Dharap

Children's Book Club

Asmita Dharap

Children's Book Club

Asmita Dharap leads the Children's Book Club at A2MM.

Shruti Parkhe

Adults' Book Club

Shruti Parkhe

Adults' Book Club

Shruti Parkhe leads the Book Club for Adults at A2MM. Shruti is an anatomically music-celled foodie with a penchant for learning languages. She loves stories —whether she is devouring these in books, collecting these from people she meets, or watching these unfold on a screen. In the A2MM Book Club, she plays the role of book selector, question curator, and discussion ringleader. Every month, she drops a literary gem into their bookish cauldron and stirs up a cocktail of thought-provoking questions to spark and foster organic conversations. Whether you adored the book, despised it, or couldn't make it past the first 50 pages (no judgment here, promise), she is your trusty sounding board through it all.

Yogesh Chavarkar

Lightbenders

Yogesh Chavarkar

Lightbenders

Yogesh Chavarkar leads the Lightbenders Club, a club focused on all things astronomy at A2MM and also serves as a Community Liaison on the A2MM Board of Trustees Yogesh is a cyber threat responder by profession with a passion for tinkering DIY projects and hackathons. He's ever-ready for scientific & outdoor exploration nurturing a deep sense of wonder and research in areas of space, technology and spirituality. Yogesh lives in the Ann Arbor area with his wife, Jayashree, and two kids, Purav and Durva.

Rohit Jategaonkar

Sports Day

Rohit Jategaonkar

Sports Day

Rohit Jategaonkar is the Sports Day Lead for A2MM this year.

2025 A2MM Youth

Mahika Upasani

Youth President

Mahika Upasani

Youth President

Hi! My name is Mahika Upasani and I am one of the youth presidents for this year. I enjoy traveling, playing soccer, reading, and more in my free time. I can’t wait to see what this year brings and I’m excited to bring more opportunities to the youth!

Purav Chavarkar

Youth President

Purav Chavarkar

Youth President

Hello My name is Purav Chavarkar and I’m one of the youth presidents this year for A2MM. I am a percussionist and I love listening and playing music. In my free time, I watch and play cricket. I am honored to be a youth presidents this year for A2MM and I’m very excited to work alongside Mahika, Karthik, Sahil, and Nihira.

Kartik Sapre

Youth Vice-President

Kartik Sapre

Youth Vice-President

Hi! My name is Kartik Sapre and I’m one of the youth vice presidents for A2MM this year. I like to play soccer, run track, and code in my free time. I am excited to help grow and expand the A2MM youth this year.

Nihira Kanade

Youth Vice-President

Nihira Kanade

Youth Vice-President

Hello! My name is Nihira Kanade and I’m one of the youth vice-presidents this year for A2MM. I love ballet, art, and baking, and one fun fact about me is I’m left-handed. I am really excited to help the youth be more involved with the programs:)

Sahil Deshpande

Youth Vice-President

Sahil Deshpande

Youth Vice-President

Hi! My name is Sahil Deshpande and I’m one of the youth vice presidents for A2MM this year. I enjoy playing chess, tennis, and soccer. I also like robotics and 3D printing. I'm looking forward to helping A2MM this year.

2025 A2MM Org Development

Shweta Dabholkar

Hospitality

Shweta Dabholkar

Hospitality

Shweta is leading the Hospitality team this year. She has been a part of A2MM family since 2021 and loves all things Maharashtrian! A connoisseur of good food, Shweta believes in the principle of "Atithi Devo Bhava". Her vision for the Hospitality team is to make sure that everyone who walks in to an A2MM event feels at home and is not left out even if it is their first time. A fun fact about her is that she used to run a YouTube Recipe channel that she is planning to revive soon.

Aniket Parandkar

Student Coordination

Aniket Parandkar

Student Coordination

Aniket Parandkar co-leads Student Coordination at A2MM with Nitin Kulkarni. Their goal is to ensure that the programs of the Mandal serve the student community in the greater Ann Arbor area and that these students are able to participate in as many programs as possible. Lastly, Aniket has also self-volunteered himself for any open role at A2MM events -- to further his desire to serve the community. Aniket is an embedded software engineer by trade and lives in the Farmington area.

Nitin Kulkarni

Student Coordination

Nitin Kulkarni

Student Coordination

Nitin Kulkarni co-leads Student Coordination at A2MM with Aniket Parandkar. Their goal is to ensure that the programs of the Mandal serve the student community in the greater Ann Arbor area and that these students are able to participate in as many programs as possible. Nitin has been an active inclusive member of A2MM since 2016 - living in Michigan with his wife, Neha and children Nikita and Nitish. He's an Automotive Supply Chain professional by trade and loves to volunteer his services wherever possible. During school and college, Nitin actively played and excelled in racket sports such as badminton , tennis , table tennis - and now actively follows these online. He also enjoys being on stage performing small skits or being a MC.

Siddharth Shende

Sponsorship

Siddharth Shende

Sponsorship

Valmik Darade

Sponsorship

Valmik Darade

Sponsorship

Valmik Darade co-leads Sponsorship at A2MM with Siddharth Shende. Valmik has been connected with the extended A2MM family (and community) for four+ years. Valmik stays in Troy, MI with his wife Pallavi and daughter Vidhi. Valmik's passion is to connect with people as well as connect people and he looks forward to his role driving sponsorship for A2MM.