Ayswaria Wariar

🪔 About

Aishwarya Warrier, also known as Dr. Ayswaria Wariar, is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, art educator, choreographer, and researcher specializing in Mohiniyattam. Born on June 29, 1975, in Kozhikode (Calicut), Kerala, she spent her formative years in Mumbai before establishing her base in Vadodara, Gujarat. Her artistic journey commenced at the age of five, under the tutelage of her mother, Sreebala Menon, a Bharatanatyam exponent. Dr. Wariar received comprehensive training in both Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam from eminent gurus including Dr. Sucheta Bhide-Chapekar, Udyogamandal Vikraman, and Kalamandalam Saraswathi. She further refined her *netrabhinaya* (eye expressions) under Margi Usha and gained profound insights into *Sopana Sangeetham* from the late Padmabhushan Kavalam Narayana Panicker, whose compositions she has extensively performed and choreographed. Academically, Dr. Wariar holds a Master's degree in Dance from Pune University (1999) and a PhD in Mohiniyattam from Bharatidasan University (2019), with her doctoral thesis focusing on "A Study of Text, Sub-text and Their Performance Relationship in Mohiniyattam". In 1997, she founded the Nrityodaya School of Classical Dance in Vadodara, where she has since trained over 500 students, significantly contributing to the popularization of Mohiniyattam beyond its traditional home state of Kerala. She also serves as the Director of Ayswaria's Institute for Creative Expression (AICE) in Navi Mumbai. Dr. Wariar is celebrated for her innovative choreographies, which skillfully blend traditional elements with contemporary sensibilities, often incorporating Kerala folk music and rhythms. Her notable productions include "Meghadootham," "Gopalaka Pahimam" (a fusion incorporating Kathakali, Bharatanatyam, and Kalaripayattu), and "Shakthi." Her significant contributions to Indian classical dance have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Pravasi "Kalashri" award from the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi (2011-12), the Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar (2018-2019), and the Devdasi Puraskar. She is an empanelled artist with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and holds a 'TOP' Graded Artiste status with Doordarshan. From 2019 to 2021, she held the position of Regional Director for the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in Vadodara. Awards & Honours: Pravasi Kalashree Award, Kalasree Puraskar (2015), Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar, Devdasi Puraskar, Senior Research Fellowship, Junior Research Fellowship, SAARC Research Grant ('Hindu Cultural Trails') (2018), TOP Graded Artiste (2021).