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About
Born on August 19, 1931, in Chennai, Smt. Rajee Narayanan was the eleventh child of Sri S. Narayana Iyer and Smt. Gangammal, growing up in a family deeply immersed in fine arts. Her father was a Vedic scholar, film producer, and the first representative of The Gramophone Company of India (HMV) from South India, while her mother was a renowned Carnatic…
Journey Timeline
1931
Born in Chennai — August 19
1935
Recorded Telugu composition 'Neraminchakura' — At age 4.5
1937-38
Acted and sang in films — Including Shakti Maya, Bala Bhaktan, Sant Eknath
1940
Bharatanatyam Arangetram — At age 9
1943
Began assisting sister in teaching Bharatanatyam — At age 12
1945
Received Kalavani (for Music) and Natya Nipuni
1950
Married and moved to Madurai — Began teaching dance and music as a hobby
1951
Son Shyamsundar born
1952
Became a popular Carnatic vocalist on AIR, Trichi station
1959
Husband passed away, moved to Chennai
1963
Received Natya Tilakam
1965
Settled in Mumbai, established Nritya Geethanjali
1976
Received Shreshta Kala Acharya
1977
Completed 25 years of service to dance and music — Felicitated by Mayor of Mumbai
1981
Received Natana Kala Bhushanam
1983
Felicitated by Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Chennai
1985
First book Nritya Geeta Mala (Vol. I) released
1986
Received Shreshta Kala Acharya
1990
Silver Jubilee of Nritya Geethanjali celebrated
1993
Received Lalitha Kala Ratnam
Photo Gallery
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Video Library
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Signature Performances
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Performance Map
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Awards & Honors
- 1945 · Kalavani (for Music) — HMV (presented by Prof. Sambamurthy)
- 1945 · Natya Nipuni
- 1963 · Natya Tilakam
- 1976 · Shreshta Kala Acharya (for Nritya) — Government of Madhya Pradesh & Madhuban, Guru Vandana Festival
- 1977 · Silver plaque commemorating 25 years as a guru — Mayor of Mumbai, Sri Murli Deora
- 1981 · Natana Kala Bhushanam — Shakti Arts, Chennai
- 1986 · Shreshta Kala Acharya (for Nritya) — Government of Madhya Pradesh & Madhuban, Guru Vandana Mahotsav, Bhopal
- 1993 · Lalitha Kala Ratnam
- 1996 · Rajya Sanskritik Puraskar (Nritya) / Lifetime Achievement Award for Dance — Government of Maharashtra
- 1996 · Nritya Kala Sudhakara — The Music Triangle, Mumbai
- 1999 · Lalitha Kala Ratna — Saraswathi Gana Nilayam
- 2001 · Sanmargadarshi — Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam at Silver Jubilee of Nrithyodaya
- 2006 · Swar Sadhna Ratna — Swar Sadhna Samiti, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai
- 2006 · Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi Best Teacher of the Year Award — Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha
- 2010 · Sangeetha Sikshamani — Vashi Fine Arts, Navi Mumbai
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