Rasika Khanna

🪔 About

Rasika Khanna is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, primarily known for her expertise in Bharatanatyam. Her journey in dance began in 1957, when she was initiated into the art form as a child by the legendary Balasaraswathy in Madras (now Chennai). She received extensive training from several eminent gurus, including Smt. Lalitha Shastri in Delhi, who imparted the strict discipline of the Kalakshetra style. Khanna performed her Arangetram, or debut, in 1971. From 1973 to 1976, Rasika Khanna further honed her skills in Madras under Shri Adyar Lakshman, supported by a Government of India cultural scholarship. She also received a fellowship to study with Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan. For nineteen years, she learned the nuances of dramatic presentation from Guru Nana Kasar, who headed the Department of Bharatanatyam at Triveni Kala Sangam in New Delhi. Since her debut in 1971, Khanna has been a versatile performer, gracing numerous prestigious stages both in India and internationally. Her performances in India include the Madras Music Academy, Krishna Gana Sabha, Mylapore Fine Arts Society, Kartik Fine Arts Society, Tamil Isal Sangam, Khajuraho temples, and the National Centre for Performing Arts in Bombay. She has also performed for television in Bombay and Hyderabad, and at the Chidambaram temple. Internationally, Rasika Khanna has performed across Europe (Belgium, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Edinburgh, Paris, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, England, France), North America (Toronto, U.S., Canada), African countries, and Pakistan. In 1980, she toured Europe under the auspices of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She was a Visiting Fellow at the South Asian Studies Council at Yale's MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies in 2011-12. Having previously moved to Washington D.C. where she continued to teach and perform, Rasika Khanna currently resides in Mumbai. Awards & Honours: Best Young Bharatanatyam Dancer (1976), Junior Research Fellowship (1983), Cultural Scholarship, Senior Research Fellowship.