Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram

🪔 About

Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram is a distinguished figure in Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam, hailing from a revered lineage of traditional Natyacharyas. He represents the seventh generation of a family that has been imparting the Thanjavur style of Bharatanatyam for over 300 years, with ancestors patronized by King Serfoji of Thanjavur and the royal courts of Baroda and Ramanathapuram. His great-grandfather was the illustrious Panchapakesa Nattuvanar, author of "Abhinaya Navaneetham". Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram received his foundational training from his grandfather, Bharatha Vidwan Guru Kuppiah Pillai, and his uncles, Natya Kalanidhi Kalaimamani Guru A.T. Govindraj Pillai and Bharatha Vidwan Kalaimamani Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai. He also trained under his elder cousins, Guru G. Vasanth Kumar and Guru M. Vishwanath, before undergoing rigorous instruction from his father, Natya Acharya Guru Kalyanasundaram. Beyond dance, he commenced intensive mridangam training at the age of four in 1980 under the tutelage of Mridanga Vidwan Karaikudi Chandramouli. He is also a commerce graduate from R.A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics and holds a diploma in Sanskrit from Mumbai University. Currently, he is undergoing intensive vocal training under Smt. Alamelu Mani. As one of the directors of the Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir in Mumbai, an institution established in 1945, Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram is deeply involved in teaching, conducting performances, and organizing arangetrams. He is acclaimed for his choreographic excellence within the Thanjavur bani and has composed several new dance pieces that have been showcased by dancers across India, the USA, and Canada. He holds the unique distinction of having performed a rare triple feat as a mridanga vidwan, a solo classical dancer, and a nattuvanar at prestigious festivals both in India and internationally. His extensive performance career includes tours to over 25 cities in the USA, Canada, Singapore, Nairobi, and Qatar. Awards & Honours: KJ Sarasa Memorial Award (2025), Gold medallist in the West Zone Inter School Competition.