Meenakshi Chitharanjan

Meenakshi Chitharanjan is an Indian classical dancer, teacher and choreographer, is known as an exponent of the Pandanallur style of the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam. She is the founder of Kaladiksha, an institution promoting Bharatanatyam and striving to preserve the Pandanallur tradition. A disciple of the father-son duo of Chokkalingam Pillai and Subbaraya Pillai, she is a recipient of several honours including Kalaimamani Award of the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Natya Kala Sarathi of Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2008, for her contributions to classical dance.

Biography Meenakshi Chitharanjan was born in Chennai, in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu to P. Sabanayagam, a government official, as the youngest and only girl child among his five children. Srinivasa Pillai, S. Pandian and Padma Subrahmanyam have also trained her at various points of time. She received the title Natya Choodamani of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and, Kalaimamani Award of the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1975. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2008 and Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha honoured her with the title of Natya Kala Sarathi in 2014. She is also a recipient of Awards of Excellence from Rotary Club, Chenna and Probus Club, Chennai, and Best Dancer Award (2004) from Madras Music Academy. She holds the highest artist grade at the Doordarshan.