Our Founder, Parag Kanvinde (PK) has been a stage presence since age 7. PK received his stage training from maestros like Sulabha & Arvind Deshpande of Avishkar and Jayadev & Rohini Hattangadi; as well as Sudha Karmarkar at Little Theater. PK directed his first play on stage at the young age of 10 and received an award for Best Direction. Throughout school and college in India, being on stage was a passion for him. As a child, PK also appeared in television shows and a movie produced by Rajkamal Studios of V. Shantaram, a legendary producer & director in India.

PK kept his love for the performing arts alive in the USA by participating in the cultural programs of the Indian diaspora for many years. During his stay in Oklahoma City for 12 years and Cleveland, Ohio for 20 years PK directed and acted in many shows besides serving as the President of local India Associations as well as Marathi Mandals (cultural organizations of immigrants from Maharashtra, a western state in India).

This flame took the shape of a “Yadnya” when he motivated like-minded artists to found KalaSanman, a group of performing artists in the greater Cincinnati area with the first production of Tuze Aahe Tujpashi to celebrate the birth centennial of Maharashtra’s beloved playwright P. L. Deshpande. Since 2019, PK has directed over 12 different plays, including a full-length play in Children’s Theater, and acted in many of them. KalaSanman has produced 1-2 plays every year under his direction.

Many professional players in many languages come to the USA on a tour every year from India. They either do not necessarily visit smaller cities for a performance, or the local cultural organizations are not necessarily able to bring every such play to town. Additionally, there are several “amateur” groups like KalaSanman all over the USA who are not affiliated with the local cultural organizations; and despite being of a very high quality and as good as the professional shows, they do not get to perform outside their local area. Recognizing this need, PK founded “Paragon Arts” in 2024 to provide a platform for such groups as well as to try and bring Performances from all over the world touring in the USA within local reach in smaller cities around the Headquarters in Greater Cincinnati!