Sanji Piranthapan

🪔 About

Smt. Sanji Piranthapan is an accomplished Bharatanatyam performer, choreographer, and educator, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Natya Kala Manjari Academy of Fine Arts, established in Toronto, Canada, in 2006. She provides traditional training in classical Indian dance and Yoga, and has been teaching Bharatanatyam for over 15 years. Her journey in Bharatanatyam began at the tender age of five in India. She pursued advanced studies under the esteemed Acharya Prof. Sikkil Vasanthakumari, a distinguished disciple of the legendary Guru Adyar K. Lakshmanan, following the Kalakshetra bani tradition. Smt. Sanji holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bharatanatyam and a Teaching Diploma from the University of Madras, Chennai, India. Prior to establishing her academy in Canada, she served as a Bharatanatyam teacher at St. John's Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai. Now based in Toronto, Canada, Smt. Sanji Piranthapan is a dedicated ambassador of Indian classical arts. Through Natya Kala Manjari, she has nurtured and inspired numerous students, promoting the rich heritage of Bharatanatyam within Canada's multicultural landscape. She has successfully organized many Kinkini Poojas, Arangetrams, cultural programs, and yearly grade examinations for her students. Her academy has also presented thematic productions such as “Kalki” and "Kinkini Natham". Smt. Sanji has performed at the renowned Natyanjali Festival at the Chidambaram Thillai Natarajar Temple. She was honored at the “Namaste India” Cultural Program in Japan in 2017 and was featured and honored by Doordarshan during India's 50th Independence Day celebrations in the program “Vandemataram”. Awards & Honours: Niruthya Vallabhi (2000), Natya Kala Choodamani (2017), Bharatham Award, Seniwati (2024), Award of Excellence for Vision and Creativity (2025).