Radha Venkatraman

🪔 About

Radha Venkatraman, widely known as Rhadha, is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in Chennai, India. She is celebrated for her adherence to the Vazhuvoor tradition of Bharatanatyam, characterized by its speed and sparkle. Rhadha founded her dance institution, Pushpanjali, in Madras (now Chennai), which celebrated its silver jubilee in August 2017, marking over 25 years of dedicated service to the art form. As a guru, Rhadha emphasizes a friendly and personalized approach to teaching, believing that the relationship between a teacher and student should be based on friendliness rather than fear, allowing individual talents to flourish. Her teaching philosophy has nurtured numerous students, many of whom have gone on to establish their own dance schools both in India and internationally. Throughout her career, Rhadha has been an active performer and choreographer. She has presented several lecture demonstrations, often collaborating with Sujatha, on various topics related to Bharatanatyam, including compositions by Lalgudi Jayaraman and the Vazhuvoor tradition. These lecture demonstrations have been recorded by the Sruti Foundation for its archives, and her work on 'Navarasa in Thyagaraja' and 'Environment in Bharatanatyam' has been recorded by the UGC for national telecast. She has also undertaken successful dance tours in the USA and Canada. Rhadha has been recognized for her contributions to Indian classical dance with prestigious accolades such as the Sangeeta Nataka Academy award and the Choodamani award from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha. Awards & Honours: Sangeeta Nataka Academy award, Choodamani award.