Jayashree Rajagopalan

🪔 About

Dr. Jayashree Rajagopalan is a renowned Indian classical dancer, teacher, choreographer, and research scholar, representing the fourth generation of an illustrious family of artists. She was initiated into dance at the age of four by her mother, Smt. Leela Gopalan, a disciple of Gopalkrishna Nattuvanar and Meenakshi Nattuvanar. Her early training continued under Guru Sri T.S. Janakiraman, leading to her Arangetram at eight in Rourkela. A pivotal moment in her career came at 16 when she became the foremost disciple of the internationally acclaimed Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. Under Dr. Subrahmanyam's tutelage, Jayashree deeply imbibed and became a leading exponent of the distinctive “Bharata Nrityam” style, which is rooted in Dr. Subrahmanyam's extensive research into the 108 Karanas of the Natya Sastra. Beyond performance, Dr. Rajagopalan is a dedicated scholar. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Mumbai, earned through the Ananthacharya Indological Research Institute, with her research focusing on “Aharya Abhinaya – a study” as delineated in the Natya Sastra. She also pursued a degree in Drawing and Painting from Stella Maris College, Chennai. Her academic pursuits include specialized training in Nattuvangam and make-up techniques, alongside Indian Classical Music. She has been a recipient of several prestigious fellowships, including the Senior Research Fellowship from the Department of Culture, Government of India, for a comparative study of Talas in Manipuri and Tiruppugazh, and the Indal and Tata Heras Research Fellowships for her studies on Natya Sastra's Lasyangas and its impact on Ajanta Arts, respectively. As a performer, she has graced major cities and festivals across India and internationally, with performances in Athens, Mauritius, Singapore, France, and Italy. She is a graded artiste of Doordarshan and participated in her Guru's “Bharatiya Natya Sastra” TV serial. Dr. Rajagopalan has choreographed and presented numerous dance dramas, including “Shakuntalam,” “Ramayana,” “Dasavataram,” “Kamayani,” “Bhakta Sakha Vitthala,” and Rabindranath Tagore's “Chandalika”. To propagate the art form, she founded “Nrithyodaya - The Academy of Performing Arts” in Mumbai, where she has been training students for over 40 years. The academy celebrated its Silver Jubilee (Rajata Mahotsava) in 2001 and Ruby Jubilee recently. She also serves as the Deputy Director of the Ananthacharya Indological Research Institute, Mumbai, and is a Chief Examiner, Ph.D. Guide, and visiting professor at the Centre of Performing Arts, Pune University, and a faculty member for Bharatanatyam at Sastra University, Tanjavur. Awards & Honours: Bharata Nritya Choodamani, Shivali Nritya Shiromani, Sangeet Prakarsh, Yashasvita, Guru Seva Mani, Prerna Award from Giants International, Vocational Excellence from Rotary International, Samaj Shakti Award from HariHara Putra Bhajana Samaj, Senior Research Fellowship, Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India, The Indal Research Fellowship, Asiatic Society, Mumbai, The Tata Heras Research Fellowship, National Merit Scholarship of the Govt. of India, Steel Authority Scholarship.