M. Amaljith

🪔 About

Kalamandalam M. Amaljith is a distinguished Indian classical dance figure, renowned for his expertise in Kathakali. Born on May 25, 1974, in Alleppey (Alappuzha), Kerala, he hails from a family deeply rooted in Kathakali, with his grandfathers being eminent exponents of the art form. He began his Kathakali training at the age of 12 under his grandfather, Guru Champakulam Pachu Pillai, and Guru Gopinath. His extensive training continued at Kudamaloor Kalakendram, where he studied under Gurus Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, Mathoor Govindan Kutty, Kalamandalam Ramakrishnan, and Kalamandalam Murali. Amaljith further honed his skills at Kerala Kalamandalam, where he earned a 6-year Diploma and a 2-year Post Diploma in Kathakali Vesham. He also received a Scholarship and a Junior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. In 2000, he joined the International Centre for Kathakali in New Delhi as a Teacher-cum-Performer, a role he has held since, contributing significantly to the institution's mission. He has worked under the guidance of Shri Sadanam P. V. Balakrishnan, the then Principal of the Centre. Throughout his career, Amaljith has performed and lectured extensively across India and internationally in countries such as the U.S.A., Thailand, Netherlands, Spain, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan. He is celebrated for his versatile portrayal of various character-roles from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, and has also adapted Western classics like William Shakespeare's "Othello" and "Macbeth" into Kathakali. His contributions to Kathakali have earned him national recognition. Awards & Honours: Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar of Sangeet Natak Akademi (2010), KPS Menon Award from Kerala Kalamandalam (1992), Natana Praveena title from Guru Gopinath Trust (2011).