Santha Bhaskar

🪔 About

Santha Bhaskar (née Pankyamma Santhamma, 1939 – 26 February 2022) was a pioneering Indian classical dancer, teacher, and choreographer who significantly shaped Singapore's arts landscape. Born in Kerala, India, in 1939, she initially preferred science and mathematics but was encouraged by her father to pursue classical Indian dance. She received training in Mohiniyattam, Kathakali, and Bharatanatyam from esteemed masters such as Ramunni Panicker, Guru Kunchu Kurup, and Kutralam Ganesam Pillai. She also studied Kerala Natanam and later expanded her repertoire to include Odissi at Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata, and Thai, Chinese, and Malay dance forms. In 1955, at the age of 16, she married K. P. Bhaskar, a classical Indian dancer and instructor, and moved to Singapore in 1956. She became the Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer at Bhaskar's Academy of Dance (renamed Bhaskar's Arts Academy in 1993), which her husband founded. In 1987, she co-founded the Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society, a non-profit teaching institution, with her husband, which has taught over 2,000 students. From 1977, she also served as Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer at the National University of Singapore's Centre for the Arts for over four decades, nurturing generations of students. Bhaskar was renowned for her innovative and cross-cultural choreographic works, often fusing Indian classical dance with elements of Chinese, Malay, and Thai dance and music. Her notable productions include "The Butterfly Lovers" (1958), "Manohra" (1996), "Rasa & Dhwani" (2003), and "Sambhavna" (2016, 2017), which explored connections between Bharatanatyam and quantum physics. Her contributions were recognized with numerous accolades, including the Cultural Medallion in 1990, the Public Service Star in 2016, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2021. She passed away in Singapore in 2022 at the age of 82. Awards & Honours: Natya Rani (Queen of Dance) Award (1975), Kala Ratna (Jewel of the Art) Award (1975), Cultural Medallion (1990), Public Service Star (Bintang Bakti Masyarakat) (2016), Meritorious Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Gemilang) (2021), Inducted into Singapore Women's Hall of Fame (2021), IHFS Excellence Award For Performing Arts, Production of the Year (Anweshana – The Search for Nalanda) (2011), Production of the Year (28) (2019).