Saroja (B.S. Saroja)

🪔 About

Saroja Vaidyanathan (née Dharmarajan), a revered Indian classical dancer, choreographer, guru, and author, was born on September 19, 1937, in Bellary, Karnataka. She passed away on September 21, 2023, in New Delhi, India, at the age of 86, after battling cancer. Her initial training in Bharatanatyam began at a young age at the Saraswati Gana Nilayam in Chennai under Guru Lalitha. She further honed her skills under the tutelage of Guru Kattumannar Muthukumaran Pillai of Thanjavur, making her a third-generation disciple in his lineage. Beyond dance, Vaidyanathan also pursued Carnatic music studies under Professor P. Sambamoorthy at Madras University and earned a D.Litt in dance from the Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh. After her marriage, Saroja Vaidyanathan initially ceased public performances due to conservative societal views, choosing instead to teach dance to children at home. Following her husband's transfer to Delhi in 1972, she formally established the Ganesa Natyalaya in 1974, an institution dedicated to imparting holistic training in Bharatanatyam, including Carnatic vocal music and languages like Tamil and Hindi. The academy's building was constructed in the Qutab Institutional Area in 1988. A prolific artist, she choreographed ten full-length ballets and nearly two thousand individual Bharatanatyam pieces. Her choreographic works included cultural segments for significant events such as the Queen's Baton Relay in 2009, the XIX Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in 2010, and a segment for 1700 dancers at the World Cultural Festival in 2016. Vaidyanathan was also a respected author, publishing several books on Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music, and compiling an encyclopedia on Bharatanatyam for NCERT. Her legacy continues through her daughter-in-law, Rama Vaidyanathan, and granddaughter, Dakshina Vaidyanathan Baghel, both accomplished Bharatanatyam artists. Awards & Honours: Padma Shri (2002), Padma Bhushan (2013), Sahitya Kala Parishad Samman, Kalaimamani, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Bharata Kalai Sudar (2006), Kalidas Samman, Vayo Sreshta Samman Award, Ambassador of Peace, Kalpana Chawla Excellence Award, Acharya Choodamani award, Lifetime Achievement award, Mutthirai Pathitha Award, Annual Award for Senior Guru.