Guru Chandrasekheran

🪔 About

Guru Chandrasekharan (1916–1998) was a distinguished Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and instructor of Kathakali and Kerala Nadanam. Born in 1916 in Travancore (present-day Thiruvananthapuram), India, he was the son of notable oil painter N.K. Nair. Chandrasekharan commenced his dance training without his parents' knowledge, initially studying Kathakali and Kerala Nadanam under Guru Gopinath at the 'Sri Chithrodaya Nirtha Kalalayam,' a dance studio established by the Travancore Government. He later continued his Kathakali studies under Nedumudi Narayana Kurup, another artist patronized by the Royal Palace of Travancore. Chandrasekharan was a pioneer in integrating contemporary social themes into classical dance productions. He formed his own troupe, performing extensively across major Indian cities. Notably, in 1943, he led his troupe to Alexandria, Egypt, and parts of Italy to entertain British Indian Army soldiers during World War II. His significant choreographic works include "Polinja Deepam" (The Light That Died) in 1948, depicting Mahatma Gandhi's tragic end, and "Voice of Travancore" in the late 1940s, a political theme advocating agrarian revolution. From 1947 to 1950, Guru Chandrasekharan served as a Professor of Classical Dance, specializing in Kathakali, at Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan. During this tenure, he choreographed and performed several of Rabindranath Tagore's renowned dance dramas, such as Chithrangada and Chandalika, in cities like New Delhi and Calcutta. After his time at Visva Bharati, he established his own institution, Prathibha Nrithakala Kendra, in Trivandrum. Beyond his performance and teaching career, Chandrasekharan was also an author and artist. His book on Bharathanatyam, "Natiya Nirishanam," is considered a defining work, resulting from research conducted under a Fellowship Award from the Government of India. He also received an award from the Government of Kerala for his artwork in 1973. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored with an award from the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy in 1976 and was formally conferred the title "Guru" by the city of Trivandrum during his 60th birthday celebrations in the same year. Guru Chandrasekharan passed away in 1998. Awards & Honours: Award from Government of Kerala for artwork (1973), Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award (1976), Title of "Guru" conferred by the city of Trivandrum (1976), Fellowship Award from the Government of India.