Shanmuga Sundaram K

🪔 About

Shanmuga Sundaram K is a leading Bharatanatyam artiste and educator based in Chennai, India. He commenced his Bharatanatyam training in 1994 at the age of 21 under the legendary dance guru, the late K.J. Sarasa, and continued for 18 years until her passing in January 2012. He also received training in Nattuvangam from Guru K.J. Sarasa. [6] K.J. Sarasa was a disciple of Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai, establishing Shanmuga Sundaram's strong foundation in the Vazhuvoor style of Bharatanatyam. He is a much sought-after teacher and choreographer, particularly known for the Vazhuvoor style. Since 2017, he has been under the mentorship of Guru, Padma Shri, Smt. Chithra Visweswaran, which has further enhanced his artistic evolution. With over 28 years of experience as of July 2022, Shanmuga Sundaram has performed extensively in major festivals across India and internationally. [He is recognized as an 'A' grade artiste of Doordarshan. [6] Beyond his performances, Shanmuga Sundaram actively preserves the legacy of his guru by organizing the annual "Sarasa Natya Mala" festival. He continues to run Sarasalaya, K.J. Sarasa's institution, offering classes in Chennai and in countries like Germany, Switzerland, Amsterdam, and Malaysia. [12] He is also the founder and artistic director of the Sadar School of Bharatanatyam in Italy and Switzerland. [22] Notably, he leads a pioneering initiative teaching Bharatanatyam to transgender students at the Sri Sathya Sai Free Dance Academy in Chennai, a collaborative effort with the Sahodaran Foundation, which began in June 2022, aiming to empower the transgender community through classical dance. [7, 11, 13, 17, 18, 19] Awards & Honours: Natya Selvam, Natya Tara, Narthaka Nipuna, Purush Award.