Inchakkadu Ramachandran Pillai

🪔 About

Inchakkadu Ramachandran Pillai is a highly esteemed figure in Indian classical dance, recognized as one of the finest living exponents of the Southern school of Kathakali. Born on March 21, 1949, in Sasthamcotta village of Kollam district, Kerala, to Kothampalli Veettil Sankaran Nair and Chellamma, he dedicated his life to the art form. Pillai received his training under the traditional Gurukula system, studying with the late Mankulam Vishnu Namboodiri, who was considered the doyen of the Southern school of Kathakali. He is often hailed as Namboodiri's most brilliant student, having thoroughly assimilated his guru's distinctive techniques. His career saw him play a pivotal role in the revival of Kathakali and Kutiyattam. In 1971, when Margi, an organization dedicated to these classical art forms, was established, Pillai assisted Mankulam Vishnu Namboodiri. He served commendably as the chief instructor of Vesham, the Principal of Margi, and later as a Visiting Professor. As an outstanding Kathakali artist, Pillai is widely admired for his skillful display of Mudras (hand gestures), his inspired demonstration of various Rasas (emotions), and his unwavering adherence to the essential character traits reflected through posture, mobility, and acting. He is particularly exemplary in vivaciously presenting diverse Veshams, such as Pacha (green), Kathi (knife), Vella Thaadi (white beard), and Minukku (radiant), with his unique Kathi Vesham being especially captivating. His performances have taken him to numerous international stages in countries including Sri Lanka, Sweden, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Tunisia, and Switzerland. Pillai has been honored with several prestigious awards and fellowships for his contributions to Kathakali. These include the Kerala Kalamandalam Fellowship, the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Fellowship, the Kumar Gandharva Fellowship, and the HRD Senior Fellowship instituted by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He also received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in the Kathakali section in 2011. Among his notable students are Margi Vijayakumar, Margi Harivalsan, and Margi Vijayan. Awards & Honours: Kerala Kalamandalam Fellowship, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Fellowship, Kumar Gandharva Fellowship, HRD Senior Fellowship, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (2011).