Dr. Kalra Award for Diversity and Harmony
The Dr. Jay Kalra Award is given to those who actively demonstrate strength in areas of leadership, promoting diversity, volunteering, and is committed to culture and heritage in the multicultural community.
Nominees for the award should be distinguished volunteers whose achievements can serve as an inspiration to others to practice and promote Diversity and Harmony.
To be nominated, one must be involvement with Folkfest or another cultural organization, be or have been an active member of a cultural organization and shown strength in leadership, dedication to promote diversity.
Our recipents this year are Priyanka Nandi & Kiela Caudillo!
Kiela Caudillo
Kiela Caudillo, originally from Mexico, is a multidisciplinary artist with over 30 years of experience as a singer, creative visual artist, and craftsman. Her academic background is in Plant Sciences, holding a master’s degree in Plant Pathology from the University of Saskatchewan. She currently works as an International Project Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Polytechnic. However, despite the depth of her academic and professional background, Keila has been actively advocating for the preservation of the Latino American cultural Heritage.
Since moving to Saskatoon in 2012, she has represented the Latino community in multiple cities around the province, participating in annual events such as Saskatoon Folkfest, Saskatoon Jazz Heritage Festival, Regina Mosaic, Prince Albert Taperstrama, The Battlefords Taste of Culture, Race Against Racism, and many more.
Priyanka Nandi
At the age of 19, Priyanka left her homeland in 2008 and embarked on a journey to Saskatoon, embracing the city’s icy winters and a dramatically different landscape with its gifts and openness. Soon after arriving, she immersed herself in community life. She made history as the first woman elected Secretary of the Bangladesh Community Association of Saskatchewan. In the leadership role, she dedicated herself to empowering women, championing mental wellness, expanding employment opportunities, and fostering a growth-oriented environment mindset.
By the age of 22, Pryanka embraced motherhood while supporting her husband’s PhD and remaining deeply involved in community service. In 2017, she made history as Saskatchewan’s first Bandladeshi South Indian Realtor, building a thriving career grounded in trust, dedication, and exceptional client service, as a multi-awarded Realtor. She earned the prestigious 2024 REMAX Platinum Club Award and was recognized among Saskatchewan’s Top 10 Realtors. Beyond real estate, she donated a portion of every transaction to the Children’s Miracle Network and actively champions women’s empowerment and community development.
Folkfest 2025: Kalideoscope of Culture, our 46th Festival
We congratulate our recipents this year for all their efforts and we look forward to celebrating a sucessful 46th festival with them.
Keep your eyes on our social media or our webpage to watch for our 2026 nomination package and opening of nominations!