Gayatri Krishnaveni Lakshmanan

🪔 About

Gayatri Krishnaveni Lakshmanan is a prominent Bharatanatyam exponent and guru based in Chennai, India. Born on February 18, 1976, she is the daughter and a distinguished disciple of the legendary Smt. Krishnaveni Lakshmanan of Kalakshetra. Gayatri received intensive and comprehensive training in Bharatanatyam, Carnatic vocal music, and instrumental Veena at the esteemed Kalakshetra Foundation. Her formative years were shaped under the guidance of renowned gurus such as S. Sharada, Sarada Hoffman, and Prof. N.S. Jayalakshmi. She further honed her skills by undertaking a special Karanas course under Dr. Padma Subramanian. Throughout her illustrious career, Gayatri Krishnaveni Lakshmanan has captivated audiences worldwide with her compelling stage presence and innovative performances. She is recognized as an "A grade artist" of Doordarshan Kendra and has performed at numerous prestigious dance festivals both in India and internationally, including the Natyanjali festival in Chidambaram, the Music Academy Festival, and the Natyarangam Festival in Chennai. A dedicated educator, Gayatri founded and directs the Krishnadhwani School of Natya in Chennai, where she is committed to imparting traditional Bharatanatyam training to numerous students. Beyond her artistic endeavors, she is deeply passionate about social causes, utilizing Bharatanatyam as a powerful medium for social dialogue. Her choreographies often address significant contemporary issues such as gender equality, cancer and AIDS awareness, child abuse, and public health, demonstrating dance's potential to enlighten, heal, and empower communities. She actively engages with various NGOs, teaches dance to underprivileged children, and conducts dance therapy sessions at the Children's Cancer Institute in Chennai. Gayatri Krishnaveni Lakshmanan has been honored with several prestigious awards for her contributions to Indian classical dance. These include the Yuva Kala Bharathi from Bharat Kalachar, the T.S. Parthasarathy Award from the Music Academy, the Balasaraswathi Endowment Award from the Krishna Gana Sabha, Bharatakalabhooshanam, the Natyarangam Senior Dancers Award, and the Sangeet Natak Academy's Ustad Bismillahkhan Yuva Puraskar. She also received the Sathya Kalpana Praveena Sundaram from Bharathanjali Trust and Nrithya Chinthamani from Sumukhi Memorial Foundation. In 2025, she was recognized as an "Outstanding Artist" at the South India Women Achievers Awards. Awards & Honours: Yuva Kala Bharathi Bharat Kalachar, T.S. Parthasarathy Award from the Music Academy, Balasaraswathi Endowment Award from the Krishna Gana Sabha, Bharatakalabhooshanam, Natyarangam Senior Dancers Award, Sangeet Natak Academy's Ustad Bismillahkhan Yuva Puraskar, Outstanding Artist at the South India Women Achievers Awards (2025), Sathya Kalpana Praveena Sundaram of Bharathanjali Trust, Nrithya Chinthamani of Sumukhi Memorial Foundation.