Sharanya Chandran

🪔 About

Sharanya Chandran is a leading young Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, and Nattuvangam artist, deeply rooted in the classical tradition. She is the daughter and senior disciple of the renowned Bharatanatyam exponent and Padma Shri awardee, Guru Geeta Chandran. Sharanya began her formal training in Bharatanatyam at the tender age of four, learning from both her mother and Guru K.N. Dakshinamurthi. Her formal solo debut, known as the Arangetram, took place in New Delhi in November 2001 when she was thirteen years old. Sharanya is an integral part of the Natya Vriksha Dance Academy and Company, an institution founded by her mother, where she serves as Vice President and a senior dancer/choreographer. She has performed extensively as a soloist and as part of the Natya Vriksha Dance Collective for over three decades, captivating audiences in India and internationally, including in the USA, Thailand, Japan, and the UK. Her performances have graced prestigious festivals such as the Khajuraho Dance Festival, Narada Gana Sabha in Chennai, and the Lincoln Centre in New York. Sharanya is empanelled with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and is nationally graded by Doordarshan. Beyond her artistic pursuits, Sharanya Chandran is also a trained Development and Policy professional. She holds a BA (Hons) in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College and a Master's in Development Studies from the London School of Economics (LSE) as an INLAKS scholar. She currently serves as the Director of Policy and Communications at J-PAL South Asia, balancing her passion for dance with her career in development. Sharanya's artistic approach emphasizes finding fleeting moments of beauty in her dance and drawing inspiration from a rich tapestry of Indian literature, incorporating poems and verses from languages like Tamil and Mythili. Awards & Honours: Swami Haridas Sangeet Kala Ratna Samman (2016), Yuva Natya Shiromani award (2016), Parampara Award (2019), Chitra Kala Sangam Award.