“It was Kiran Seth, the founder of SPICMACAY, whose selfless service impressed me. It is from him that I learned to work selflessly, whether it is for personal satisfaction or professional gain. I vividly remember the summer of 1980 when I read a banner about Kathak performance of Uma Shanker at PAU being organised by SPICMACAY.

I had no clue what SPICMACAY was and how could I see the performance. I went to the venue and there I saw a person who was aligning the footwear of people who had gone inside the hall. He directed me to go inside. After the performance, when I went to meet Uma Sharma, I realised that the man outside the hall was Kiran Seth. He left me spellbound,” recalls Dr Arora.

A senior doctor at ISIEC Hospital and a trained Kathak dancer, she has brought some of the finest names in classical art forms to the city under the banner of SPICMACAY.

She remarks, “Kathak exponent Sitara Devi is a relative of my mother. I learnt Kathak from my mother and always wanted to do something in dance and fine arts. But my father who was posted as additional sessions judge in Ludhiana did not approve of the idea. He wanted me to opt for some serious profession and said that dance could serve as a pastime. So, while I was doing my MBBS at the Rohtak Medical College, I also completed my MA in Kathak from Delhi.” She has passed on her legacy to her two daughters.