Kshama Rau

🪔 About

Kshama Rau is an accomplished Indian classical Odissi dancer and teacher, based in Bengaluru. She developed a passion for performing arts from her father, the renowned writer and playwright Shivaram Karanth. Rau initially received training in Bharatanatyam from Vishwanath Rai in Puttur at a young age. Her journey into Odissi began in the 1970s, after she witnessed a performance at Kalakshetra in Chennai, where she had settled after marriage. At the age of 28, she joined Odissi classes under Ramani Ranjan Jena, a disciple of Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra. She later received advanced training directly from Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra, from whom she learned 'saatvika abhinaya', which helped her develop her aesthetic vision and forge her own identity. Rau considers Kalakshetra founder Rukmini Devi Arundale as her mentor, deeply influenced by Arundale's aesthetic sense and efforts in reviving traditional arts. She directs her own dance school, Nrithya Shilpa, in Bengaluru. Beyond her dance career, Kshama Rau is also a member of the advisory committee established by the Government of Karnataka, tasked with overseeing the restoration of Shivarama Karanth's Balavana, which is being developed into a lifestyle museum in his memory. She has also co-authored the book "Growing Up Karanth" with her siblings, offering a personal account of their father's life.