Dr. Karuna Vijayendra

🪔 About

Dr. Karuna Vijayendra is a distinguished Indian art historian, dance professor, and researcher, acclaimed for her pioneering work in ancient Indian dances, temple traditions, and performance heritage. With over 28 years of experience in dance research, she has significantly contributed to the revisualization of forgotten dance traditions such as Kumbha Nritya, Mahaanata, Mandala Nritya, Perani Paddhati, Kalaasa, Gaundali Vidhi, and Vijayanagara-era dance forms. Dr. Vijayendra served for more than seven years as a Research Fellow and Project Associate at the prestigious Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. She is the domain expert and technical editor for the landmark publication "Neo Desi Karanas: A Sequential Link." Her research-based production, "Vichitra Chitra Nartana," which reconstructs a forgotten temple dance tradition from the Hoysala dynasty, has garnered wide recognition. Additionally, a national award-winning documentary based on her Ph.D. thesis further highlights her contributions to preserving and revitalizing India's artistic and cultural legacy. An accomplished educator and Ph.D. guide, Dr. Vijayendra currently holds the position of Dean of Yoga and Humanities at SVYASA Deemed to be University in India. She is also a Professor and Head of Bharatanatyam at Aria University in California, USA, and serves as faculty for Bharatanatyam at the University of Silicon Andhra, where she teaches online. She has authored seven publications and over 90 research articles in both English and Kannada. Her expertise extends to being a music resource person for the Digital Hampi Project and a jury member for national-level dance and film festivals. Awards & Honours: National Award, Hassan District Rajyotsava Award, Aryabhata Award.