Guru Smt Sunanda Narayanan

🪔 About

Sunanda Narayanan is an acclaimed exponent of Bharatanatyam, born and raised in India. She practices in the 'Vazhuvoor' style and is a prime disciple of Guru Rhadha, one of the foremost teachers and choreographers of Bharatanatyam today. Narayanan holds two diplomas in Indian Classical Dance Theory from the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, India, and from the Association of Bharatanatyam Artists of India (ABHAI). She is also trained in vocal Indian classical music from eminent gurus in India. With a performing career spanning over three decades, Sunanda Narayanan has presented more than 250 public performances. She is also a prolific choreographer, having presented numerous solo and group productions, encompassing both traditional and contemporary themes. Her performances have been featured by leading Indian television networks, and she has conducted lecture-demonstrations and workshops in various cities across the U.S., Canada, India, and Brazil. Narayanan is the Director of the Thillai Fine Arts Academy in Newton, MA, where she imparts training in the Bharatanatyam tradition. Additionally, she serves as an instructor at the Harvard University Dance Center. She is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management and also works part-time at WGBH, Boston. Her mother, Sujatha Vijayaraghavan, is a reputed scholar of Indian music and dance, and Sunanda has performed alongside her sister, Sumitra, in various productions, including 'Desh'. Awards & Honours: Senior Scholarship of the Government of India, Sponsorship by Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram, Nrithya Seva Mani (2026).