Girija Chandran

🪔 About

Girija Chandran, born in 1951, is a distinguished Indian classical dance guru, primarily recognized for her profound contributions to Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, and Kuchipudi. Hailing from a family deeply rooted in arts and academia in Kerala, her father, R. Sivasankara Pillai, a Sanskrit and Tamil scholar, encouraged her artistic pursuits from a young age. Her initial dance training commenced at four under Kalakshetra Bhaskar, who taught in the Guru Gopinath style. She further honed her Bharatanatyam skills under Sucheendram M.M. Pillai and later received advanced tutelage from the eminent Guru Adyar K. Lakshman in Chennai until 1986. Her comprehensive training also included Kuchipudi under the legendary Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam and Kathakali under Nelliyod Vasudevan Namboodiri. While her initial interest leaned towards Bharatanatyam, she developed a deep passion for Mohiniyattam, attending workshops by Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma and collaborating extensively with Kalamandalam Lakshmikutty at her institution. She also gained expertise in group choreography under Saraswathi Malhotra. At the young age of 15, Girija Chandran embarked on her teaching career, a path she found more fulfilling than performing. In 1972, she founded the Regatta Cultural Society, an institution initially envisioned by her father to empower women through various skills. Under her dedicated stewardship, this society evolved into the renowned Regatta Natya Sangeetha Kendra (also known as Regatta Natya Sangeetha Vidyalaya), becoming a premier center for classical dance and music in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Girija Chandran is credited with introducing Kuchipudi to Kerala before 1985. Over five and a half decades, Regatta has trained an extraordinary number of students, reportedly over one lakh, with more than 800 students currently enrolled across its multiple branches in Thiruvananthapuram. The academy is also notable for providing free classical dance training to economically disadvantaged students and for its teacher-training programs. She has choreographed numerous Mohiniyattam productions globally and is actively collaborating with her adopted daughter, Madhavi Chandran, to innovate within the Mohiniyattam tradition. In recognition of her significant contributions to Mohiniyattam, Girija Chandran was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2026. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2026).