Rādhā Añjali

🪔 About

Rādhā Añjali, born Dr. Angela-Petra Zaimian, is an internationally acclaimed Bharatanāṭyam dancer, teacher, choreographer, and artistic director based in Vienna, Austria. Her early exposure to Indian culture came through her Indologist parents, and she first traveled to India in 1972. Her journey into Indian classical dance began in 1978 after witnessing a performance by Kama Dev in Vienna, which inspired her to pursue Bharatanāṭyam. She received her initial dance training in Vienna from Indian dancers Dilnawaz and Aban Banas, and later from Kama Dev. For advanced studies, she trained under renowned gurus Kalanidhi Narayanan and Adyar K. Lakshman in Chennai, India. Añjali made her Bharatanāṭyam debut with a full Margam in Vienna in 1982, followed by her solo debut (Arangetram) in 1983 at the Mylapore Fine Arts Auditorium in Chennai. In the same year, she founded Nāṭya Mandir, a non-profit organization and dance school in Vienna dedicated to promoting classical Indian dance in Austria. Through Nāṭya Mandir, she conducts classes, workshops, concerts, and lectures, and has guided over 33 students through their Arangetrams. She also teaches Bharatanāṭyam at the University of Vienna. Beyond Bharatanāṭyam, Añjali has studied Kuchipudi from Kama Dev and the renowned Raja and Radha Reddy, and Seraikella Chhau from Kama Dev and Padma Shri Shashadhar Acharya. She holds a PhD in philosophy on Indian Classical dance as a religious and philosophical phenomenon from the University of Vienna. Her work focuses on preserving traditional repertoire while contextualizing classical forms within a European cultural environment, often presenting contemporary themes through Bharatanāṭyam. She is also the president of the Austrian-Indian Association, working to strengthen cultural ties between the two nations. Awards & Honours: Federal Sign of Honour for Special Merits (2004), Title of female professor (2011), PaN Award (Partner of all Nations).