Kalamandalam Sugandhi

🪔 About

Kalamandalam Sugandhi, born Sugandhi Prabhu on December 2, 1950, in Valamgalam, Thuravoor, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India, is a distinguished Mohiniyattam dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Her journey in classical dance began at the age of seven with Bharatanatyam training under Sathidevi and later Palluruthy Surendranath. Encouraged by prominent figures like Guru Gopinath and Kavalam Narayana Panicker, she joined Kerala Kalamandalam, where she further honed her skills in Bharatanatyam under Kalamandalam Satyabhama, Kalamandalam Chandrika, and A.B.R. Bhaskar. It was at Kalamandalam in 1968 that she began studying Mohiniyattam as part of her diploma course, and notably, the iconic 'konda kettu' coiffure for Mohiniyattam was first experimented on her during a seminar. After completing her studies in 1969, Sugandhi was appointed as a Mohiniyattam teacher at the FACT Fine Arts School, where she taught for over three decades until 2002. Her dedication to the art form led her to study Kuchipudi under Vedantam Prahlada Sarma and to associate closely with Bharatanatyam exponent Dr. Padma Subramaniam, under whom she later pursued her doctorate. Sugandhi is recognized for her profound knowledge of Natyasastra and her innovative yet traditional choreographies. She has also authored texts in Malayalam and Konkani and translated Dr. Padma Subramaniam's 'Bharata Kala Lakshanam' into Malayalam. Currently, Kalamandalam Sugandhi serves as the Academic Dean in Kerala Kalamandalam and continues her artistic endeavors with the Nrithyanjali Dance Academy near Kochi. Her contributions to Mohiniyattam have been widely acknowledged through numerous state and national awards, solidifying her status as a legendary guru and scholar. Awards & Honours: First in Bharathanatyam (1962), First in Bharathanatyam competition (1962), Pundareenath Bhuvanendra Award (1971), Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (1985), ITC Golden Greats Award (1990), Senior Fellowship (1990), Pundareenath Bhuvanendra Puraskar (1997), Award (1997), Kerala Kalamandalam Award (1999), Dr. T.M.A Pai Foundation Award (2003), Senior Fellowship (2003), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2004), Kalaratna award / Fellowship (2012), Shadkala Govinda Marar Award (2021).