Kalamandalam Vaishakh

🪔 About

Kalamandalam Vaisakh is a distinguished Indian classical dancer and teacher, primarily recognized for his profound contributions to Kathakali, a traditional dance-drama form from Kerala. Born on January 7, 1988, Vaisakh embarked on his artistic journey in 2000, joining the esteemed Kerala Kalamandalam State Academy of Arts. There, he received rigorous training in the Kathakali South School style under the tutelage of Kalamandalam Ravikumar. His education continued under the guidance of his father, Kalamandalam Rajasekharan, a veteran Kathakali actor and former principal of Kerala Kalamandalam State Academy of Arts, which is now a deemed university. Vaisakh holds a strong academic background, having completed his graduation, a Master's degree, and an M.Phil. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D., with one source indicating his doctoral research is in Kathakali Chutty (makeup). He is presently a faculty member at Kerala Kalamandalam deemed university, where he is regarded as one of the excellent teachers of the Kathakali South School. With over 13 years of experience in Kathakali, Vaisakh is celebrated for his versatility in portraying a wide array of characters, excelling particularly in Sathvik Pacha (Green/Noble) and ignoble Kathi characters. His deep theoretical knowledge and performance prowess have earned him national and international recognition. He has performed extensively across the globe, with tours to countries including Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, Prague, Bulgaria, and Sofia. Among his significant accolades is the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for Kathakali, awarded by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2018, recognizing his outstanding talent as a young artist. He has also received numerous other awards, including the Yuvaprathibha Puraskaram, Vallathol Endowment, O.N.V Kurup Award, Guru Kunchukurup Award, Kolkata International Award, Nalanda Puraskar, Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval Award, and Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair Award. Additionally, he is a recipient of a scholarship and fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and is a B grade artist with Doordarshan Kendra. Awards & Honours: Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2018), Yuvaprathibha Puraskaram, Vallathol Endowment, O.N.V Kurup Award, Guru Kunchukurup Award, Kolkata International Award, Nalanda Puraskar, Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval Award, Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair Award, Scholarship and fellowship under Ministry of Culture, Government of India.