A UWindsor student has won recognition from Windsor’s South Asian community for her work to promote its dance culture.

The South Asian Centre of Windsor will confer its youth of the year award on Vabna Talukdar during its annual dinner, May 12 at the Caboto Club.

Talukdar, a third-year student of movement science and biology, is a dancer and choreographer trained in various Indian classical and folk styles. At the age of 15, she started her own studio to pass on these skills, and has organized charity dance shows that have raised more than $10,000 for the local Hindu temple.

She says she is “honoured” to receive an award from an organization she has long respected.

“I have been working and volunteering for the South Asian Centre for the past 10 years, in many of its projects and events,” Talukdar says. “I thank the South Asian Centre of Windsor for recognizing my achievements and hard work, and I will make sure to continue to give back and contribute to the South Asian community in the future.”

The event will also honour Akshai Aggarwal, formerly director of the UWindsor School of Computer Science, as academic of the year, and architect Chintan Virani as entrepreneur of the year.

Piya Chattopadhyay, host of the CBC Radio program “Out in the Open,” will emcee; Canada’s chief statistician, Anil Arora, will deliver a keynote address.

Find more information, including ticket purchase details, on the centre’s website.