Komala Varadan

🪔 About

Komala Varadan is a distinguished Indian classical dancer of Bharatanatyam, a prolific writer, and the visionary founder of Kalaikoodam, a Delhi-based institution dedicated to the promotion of arts, literature, and culture. She received her training in classical dance from the esteemed maestro Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai. Varadan has graced numerous stages both in India and internationally, including a performance at the United Nations building in New York. She is credited with being the first dancer to conceptualize and choreograph "Ram Charit Manas" as a solo Bharatanatyam presentation, which was subsequently published as a book. Beyond dance, she is proficient in various art forms, including choreography, photography, and painting. Her paintings have been exhibited at notable venues such as the Russian Centre of Science and Culture and the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi. She has authored two novels and a text on Bharatanatyam, and her life story was documented in an autobiography titled "Komala Varadan," published in 1985. Varadan also served as a member of the Jury for the 30th National Film Awards in the feature films section. In 2003, she was involved in a civil suit against the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) challenging their policy of categorizing performing artists over the age of 45 as lecture-demonstration presenters, though the court ruling was against her. Awards & Honours: Padma Shri (2005), Kalaimamani Award, Rajyotsava Prashasthi, Natya Rani title, International Woman of the Year Award (1998), Sahitya Kala Parishad Samman, Full Circle Inner Flame Award (1999), Certificate of Special Merit.