Rajiv Surendra
Artist, Author, Designer and Video Host
Widely known for his scene-stealing role as Kevin G. in Mean Girls, Rajiv Surendra is a modern-day renaissance man, a Martha Stewart-meets-Mr Rogers for millennials.
His DIY how-to videos for HGTV’s Handmade YouTube channel have amassed over 10M views; his own YouTube channel also documents his passion for all things domestic and handmade.
Rajiv is an accomplished calligrapher, running his own business, Letters In Ink, for over ten years. He’s also a skilled potter, with a line of flowerpots sold at boutique plant stores all over Manhattan. Rajiv paints, carves wood, plays the harp and guitar and is a published author – his memoir, The Elephants In My Backyard (Penguin Random House Canada), chronicles his journey spending seven years chasing after the lead role in Life of Pi.
A skilled public speaker, Rajiv’s talks are as motivating and captivating as his YouTube videos. His wide breadth of experience in the arts serves as an inspiring example of how to find one’s true calling by following potentially unconventional paths to a career.