Vasu Primlani

Ritu Vasu Primlani is an Indian stand-up comedian and environmentalist. She received the 2015 Nari Shakti Puraskar from the Government of India for her work.[1]

Vasu Primlani
OccupationStand-up comedian
Websitewww.vasuprimlani.com
Vasu Primlani receiving the Nari Shakti award from the President of India.

Personal life

Primlani grew up in New Delhi, India. She received a master's degree from UCLA in Geography, Urban Planning and Law.[2]

She is also a fitness enthusiasts and has done five half marathons, two Olympic-distance triathlons, a Half Ironman and a sprint triathlon.[3] Currently based out of Delhi, she is also a somatic therapist.[4]

Career

Primlani founded the non-profit Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education in the United States. This organization provided environmental consulting services for restaurants and it received the California Governors Environmental and Economic Leadership Award in 2003[5][6][7] and she was appointed an Ashoka Fellow for her work with restaurants.[8] Ms. Primlani's organization also received a US EPA region 9 award in 2003.[9]

In July 2014, Primlani was accused of cheating by Saalumarada Thimmakka, a Bangalore-based environmentalist, for using her name to solicit money from the United States.[10][11] According to Thimmakka, Primlani was misusing her name when she set up the Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education in the United States. According to Primlani, Thimmakka, a centenarian, had merely forgotten that she had given Primlani consent to use her name.[12]

Ritu Vasu Primlani receiving an award from the Governor of California

Primlani has produced, headlined in, and performed in hundreds of corporate and comedy club shows across the world, including in New York City, San Francisco, Mumbai, Dubai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Pune, and Delhi.[13] She tackles social messaging through her comedy, giving voice to daring issues such as the environment, human rights,[14] and rape [15]

Awards
  • Nari Shakti Award, 2015, by the Government of India[16]
  • Global Ashoka Innovators for the Public Social Entrepreneur fellowship 2004[8]
  • U.S. EPA Region 9 Environmental Achievement Award 2003[17]
  • California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award 2003[5]

References
  1. "A famous Punjabi stand-up comic once took his pants off in my hotel room and lay on my bed... I sent him packing!". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  2. "Indias first openly gay comic, Vasu Primlani relives her memories of being raped as a child and serving time in jail". India Today. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. "Stand-up comedian, environmentalist, triathlete and somatic therapist: Meet Vasu Primlani, the woman who does it all | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 2016-05-22. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  4. "A mode of healing that goes bone-deep to repair | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 2017-01-22. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  5. http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Awards/GEELA/2003/default.htm
  6. "Ms. Vasu Primlani - India - WEF". WEF. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  7. "Vasu Primlani | I Inspire 2018". i-inspire.in. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  8. http://usa.ashoka.org/fellow/ritu-primlani
  9. http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/2003citycouncil/packet/061003/2003-06-10%20Item%2038.pdf
  10. "Cops to Question Comic Ritu in Thimmakka Case". The New Indian Express.
  11. "NRI accused of misusing Thimmakka's name". The Hindu. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  12. Bureau, Bangalore Mirror (19 July 2014). "Stand-up comedian accused of cheating activist detained on her way to the US". Bangalore Mirror.
  13. FUNNY GIRLS. 12 August 2012.
  14. "Indian Men hahaha". The Mint.
  15. "Rape: What We Don't Know About It". Live Mint.
  16. "Playwright, social worker, journalist among winners of Nari Shakti award". 9 March 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  17. "EPA to Honor 19 Northern California Environmental Heros [sic]". 21 April 2003. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
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