Gayathri Kesavan

🪔 About

Gayathri Kesavan is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and composer, currently serving as the Director of the Academy of Bharata Natyam in Bangalore, India. Born in Thiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, and raised in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, she has absorbed the rich cultural traditions of multiple Indian states. Her initial training in Bharatanatyam and Classical Music came from her parents, Sri T.K. Narayan and Smt. Jayalakshmi Narayan, who were also accomplished artists. Sri T.K. Narayan, her father, founded the Academy of Bharata Natyam in 1948 and was a direct disciple of revered gurus Sri Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and Sri Muthu Kumara Pillai, propagating the Pandanallur style. Gayathri Kesavan holds 'Sangeetha Bhushan' and 'Sangeetha Vishardh' degrees in Bharatanatyam. Her career in dance spans over sixty-six years, encompassing extensive performances and teaching both in India and internationally, including invitations to various International Dance Festivals in Europe, the USA, and Mexico. She served as a faculty member for the 'Friends World Program' of Long Island University (USA) for nearly a decade and has been an external examiner for Post Graduation, Performing Arts students at Bangalore University and Jain University. She is also a member of the selection committee for CCRT, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. Her choreographic works include notable productions like 'Andal Kalyanam', 'Sri Nimishamba Devi', 'Samudra Manthan', and 'Poothana Moksham', the latter of which she revisited as a solo performance on her 60th birthday. Awards & Honours: Government of India Scholarship Award (1973), National Vocational Excellence (2014), National Vocational Excellence (2016), Natya Mayuri National Award, Kala Surabhi award (2023), Purandhara Acharya Award (2026).