Lalitha Srinivasan

🪔 About

Lalitha Srinivasan, born on August 24, 1943, in Shivasamudra, Karnataka, India, is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, teacher, and scholar. Her early training in Bharatanatyam began at the age of ten under Guru H. R. Keshava Murthy in Bangalore. After a hiatus following her marriage at 19, during which she focused on dance theory and passed proficiency exams with a first rank, she made her Bharatanatyam debut in 1966. She pursued advanced training under the legendary Mysore Court dancer K. Venkatalakshamma, an exponent of the Mysore School of Bharatanatyam, and also learned the Muguru style under Jejamma. Srinivasan holds a Master's degree and a DLitt in History, and her academic pursuits extended to studies at Wesleyan University in the U.S.A., adding another dimension to her creative work. In 1978, she founded the Nupura School of Bharatanatyam in Malleswaram, Bangalore, dedicated to teaching and promoting the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam. The institution has since trained over 500 students, fostering a significant teaching legacy by transmitting rare and authentic compositions of the Mysore school. Srinivasan is particularly renowned for her mastery of abhinaya (expressive dance) and her innovative choreographic works, including "Anga Bhava," "Kavya Nritya," and "Sulalitha Nritya," a revival of a 16th-century dance form. She has choreographed numerous dance ballets such as "Chitrangadha," "Sri Krishna Parijatha," "Lasyotsava," "Prem Bhakti Mukti," "Koushika Sukritam," "Gowdara Malli," "Deva Kannika," and "Nisha Vibhrama," which have been performed nationally and internationally. For over three decades, she has directed "Nitya Nritya," a national-level dance festival in Bangalore, which has brought together many scholars and prominent artists from across India. Her daughter, Manu Srinivasan, is also a dancer and serves as the secretary of the Nupura School, continuing the institution's work. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award (2022), Karnataka Kalatilaka, Rajyotsava Prashasti, Shantala Natya Shri Award, Shiromani Award, Priyadarshini Award, Honorary doctorate from the Women's University of Bijapur, Life Time Achievement Award (2016), Fellowship of Central Cultural Department, Fellow of the Ministry of Human Resource Development – Government of India.