Hema Alur-Kundargi
Community Volunteer, City of Cupertino
Cupertino, CA
Hema Alur-Kundargi's dedication to building cultural awareness about Indian customs and traditions has enriched her community through the arts, food, dance, music and fashion. As fine arts commissioner of the City of Cupertino for eight years, Ms. Alur-Kundargi promoted children's art and art in public places, and was instrumental in launching Cupertino's annual Indian holiday celebration, "Diwali - Festival of Lights." Ms. Alur-Kundargi currently produces, edits and hosts an award-winning cooking show called "Indian Vegetarian Gourmet," which simplifies and demystifies Indian cooking.
Ms. Alur-Kundargi has also conducted several Sari shows at the Cupertino Library to educate the public about the history and draping styles of Indian garments. She has hosted "Dances of India" programs for the Cupertino Senior Center and has written about Indian cooking through a monthly column in Cupertino's citywide newsletter, Cupertino Scene. She has also written for the San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times, Sunset Magazine, India West, and the national Indian magazine Veerashaiva.
Ms. Alur-Kundargi's public access cooking show has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2001 and 2004 Hometown Video Festival Award--presented to creative programs that address community needs and develop diverse community involvement--and the 1998 and 1999 Western Access Video Excellence (WAVE) award. Hema was also honored with the 2004 CREST - Cupertino Recognizes Extra Steps Taken, an award given to volunteers who have made outstanding contributions to the city of Cupertino. Ms. Alur-Kundargi serves on the board of directors for the Cupertino Library Foundation and volunteers her time to create heart healthy recipes for the South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View.
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