About Us
Originally “Youth Forum” or “NABC NextGen Committee,” Banga NextGen is a dedicated group of second-generation Bengalis in the tri-state area, striving to foster a community that celebrates the duality of our Bengali and Western identities and cultures. We have been working over the last 6 months to create various initiatives, events, and programs to bring together young Bengalis and provide them with opportunities to connect, engage, and explore their rich heritage.
After NABC 2023, we realized that our work wasn’t done. We wanted to take this beyond just one event, and create an initiative. And so, 5 young Bengali professionals decided to officially file paperwork to create Banga NextGen- a soon to be nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the American Baccha culture and preserving our rich heritage.
Our Mission
After NABC, we noticed a lot of younger Bengalis complaining that they didn’t feel connected to their culture. Similarly, we saw way too many older Bengalis complaining that their kids didn’t know about their culture. Simple fix!
Our mission is to foster and educate upon Bengali Culture, and let it flourish in the American diaspora. We want people to know all about why kosha mangsho is better than maach. Or why Rabindrasangeet just hits you in the feels. That’s our mission.
Our Board of Directors
The founding members of Banga NextGen, our directors strive to create a transparent business structure, and to promote further cultural education amongst the Bengali-American community.
Konya Badsa
President
Our fearless leader, Konya was placed as a Coordinator for the NABC 2023 Youth Forum. Not only did she pull the committee through that event, but also looked ahead to start creating an organization for the future. Konya works for Aetna in NYC as a Data Analyst.
Disari Bhattacharya
Vice President
Disari brought Operations Management to a whole new level while we were still NABC NextGen. She worked tirelessly with Konya to help implement events and make them successful. Disari is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Data Science from NJIT.
Ishita Kundu
Director at Large
Ishita’s graphic design skills and coordination skills are second to none in the NextGen Community. With a diverse set of skills, Ishita assists with many different operations behind-the-scenes of NextGen. She currently works in Talent Aquisition at SoundCloud in NYC.
Shankhadip Chakraborty Treasurer
Shankhadip previously served as the Cultural Lead of NextGen for NABC 2023 and has since worked to cultivate cultural programs through NextGen in a variety of festivals and events. He is currently working as a data analyst at Bank of America.