FOUNDER

Megha Davalath is an animation executive and production technologist with 15 years of experience in feature animation. At Netflix Animation, she leads global technical strategy for Pre-Production Technology, unifying pipelines across studios worldwide. She has held leadership roles at DreamWorks and Spire Animation, contributing to films including Kung Fu Panda 3, Trolls, and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. A trailblazer in the South Asian community, she is the founder of SAVA (South Asians in Visual Arts) and an active contributor to Women in Tech, advancing diverse talent across animation, games, VFX, and immersive media.

FOUNDER

Jaydeep Hasrajani is an animator, designer, storyboard artist, writer and director based in Los Angeles. He is the creator of Boons and Curses (Netflix), an original fantasy series inspired by South Asian mythology. Previously, Hasrajani worked on The Powerpuff Girls (Cartoon Network), The Fungees (Cartoon Network), and Ghee Happy (Netflix). He and creative partner Jake Goldman are currently developing an original feature for Paramount Studios. Hasrajani also teaches in the Master's program at San Jose State University and co-founded SAVA (South Asians in Visual Arts), a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting South Asian voices in entertainment.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Abi Varghese is a Los Angeles-based writer and director. He is the creator of the Netflix series Brown Nation and the critically acclaimed series Metro Park, starring Ranvir Shorey and Purbi Joshi. His work also includes the landmark sitcom Akkara Kazhchakal, which spanned five seasons and 50 episodes, and the feature film Monsoon Mangoes, which stars an ensemble cast including Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Raaz, Vinay Forrt, and Tovino Thomas. His portfolio includes Netflix’s Bhaag Beanie Bhaag, Comedy Central’s Surina & Mel, and the feature Arranged Love, on E!/Peacock. Abi is part of the leadership team at SAVA. 

Communications and Operations Manager

Divya is a film, animation, and TV development and production professional, with experience spanning the United States, Asia Pacific, and Europe. She is a graduate of the American Film Institute's MFA Producing program.

FOUNDER

Barathy is a seasoned technologist with a passion for enabling creativity through animation and gaming. She is currently a game developer at Ember Lab and comes with experience at feature animation studios, including DreamWorks Animation. Barathy has a history of leading DEI initiatives within studios and in the community. As a huge gamer, she loves to talk all things gaming, and she is deeply committed to promoting more diverse characters and stories in gaming and animation.

FOUNDER

Sneha is currently recruiting for Creative Leadership at Netflix Animation. With a background in Character Effects, she has gained experience at numerous VFX and animation studios. Sneha is deeply passionate about promoting South Asian representation in mainstream media. She enjoys hosting events & panels, loves boxing, and also has a knack for creating healthier Indian food. :)

Social Media Team

Nidhi is an LA-based artist with roots in India. They primarily work in illustration, as well as concept art for Games. As a member of the SAVA social media team, they look forward to celebrating accomplishments and promoting compassion within the SAVA community.

Social Media Team

Zahra Merchant is a Jr. Designer/Concept Artist at Icon Creative Studios based in Vancouver/Seattle. She studied Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design and previously interned at Disney TVA and Disney Consumer Products. She draws inspiration from her love of history and is trained in Indian classical singing, and has two parrots named Walnut and Akira.

Social Media Team

Janya Choudhary is an Indian-American illustrator and visual development artist, and i love capturing color in all its intricacy through landscape and figure. 

Social Media Team

Meeti Patel is a Gujarati-American artist based in Dallas. Their work is featured in projects at Shockwave Animation, Veritable Joy Studios, and pitch decks from clients at Pixar. Meeti has also fostered South Asian creativity by establishing Roti Blanket, a networking and community space for South Asian artists across 13 disciplines to share art, culture, and conversation together.