Parvathy Menon

🪔 About

Parvathy Menon is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, renowned for her authentic and traditional representation of the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam. Born and brought up in Kuwait, she began her dance training at the tender age of three. Her mother's dream for her to attend Kalakshetra led her to pursue humanities and history in school, eventually joining the prestigious institution in Chennai after completing Class 12. She is a post-diploma holder from Kalakshetra, where she lived and learned dance for six years, attributing her success to her gurus, especially from Kalakshetra. Parvathy Menon performs extensively as a Bharatanatyam duo with her husband, Shijith Nambiar, an ex-faculty member of Kalakshetra. Together, they have established a significant presence in the artistic arena both in India and internationally, performing across the world since 2006. Her artistry is characterized by restraint, aesthetic refinement, and a technique that is both evocative and spiritual, consciously eschewing needless theatrics. She has also travelled globally as a lead performer with the Kalakshetra repertory Company, notably taking on the demanding role of Christine in "Masquerade of Kalakshetra". As a teacher and guru, Parvathy Menon, along with Shijith Nambiar, has been guiding and molding serious learners of Bharatanatyam for over a decade, starting around 2005. They co-founded the Chidagni Foundation, under which they established Sakhi, an arts centre in a village near Mahabalipuram. Here, they are dedicated to making classical art accessible by teaching Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam free of cost to village children. Parvathy Menon's contributions to Bharatanatyam have been recognized with several prestigious awards. She is a recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2015 for Bharatanatyam. Other accolades include the Bharat Kala Rathna by Navaneetham Cultural Trust and being named among the Outstanding Dancers for 2023 by the Madras Music Academy. She currently resides in Kochi, India. Awards & Honours: Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2015), Bharat Kala Rathna, Outstanding Dancers (2023).