Connection for life: Avanti Ramachandran ’09 and Samir Kulkarni ’10

They first found their groove as Bollywood dance partners in SHOW 2008, when Avanti Ramachandran ’09 was an S5 (Grade 11) student and Samir Kulkarni ’10 was M4 (Grade 10). As they finessed their number, they learned the vital give and take for dance partners, and life partners. When the SHOW curtain dropped, their friendship was a bond that stayed with them.

“Together at UTS we learned not to take everything so seriously,” says Samir. “Once we did that, all our work and achievements became more enjoyable,” adds Avanti. 

Their friendship continued as Queen’s University students. Five years ago, they were both back living in Toronto again, and their relationship deepened. Last summer, the couple travelled to Bangalore to make it official with a full-scale traditional Indian wedding. They say their UTS friends feel like a family, and a contingent came as part of their wedding entourage, fully embracing the traditional Indian and Hindu customs.  

Left to right: Sarah Coyne ’09, Christine Robson ’09, Samir and Avanti, Alyssa Parpia ’09 and Benoit Cyrenne ’09 

A decade after graduation, their UTS experience continues to resonate throughout their lives. They both have a love for volunteering, which began in their UTS days. Avanti joined the UTS Alumni Association as a Director in 2019 to give back to the community that gave her so much. 

“I’m learning from the other members about how to add value to a board, own a seat at the table, make a contribution and feel like I belong there,” says Avanti. “I'm also developing a skillset that will help me give back to other organizations. It's another great example of how UTS alumni support one another even after we've all left the school.” 

The couple has volunteered for UTS in other capacities, including Admissions interviews, which Samir says is like “a great UTS reunion, with old and new alumni getting together.” As donors, they’ve supported our new school including the Take Your Seat initiative, and they’ve also supported the Bursary Fund. 

They’ll always have a little piece of UTS in their hearts, and in turn they have a small piece of our new building, with recognition on a seat in the new Withrow Auditorium.

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