Thara Kalyan

🪔 About

Thara Kalyan is a distinguished Indian classical dancer and actress, recognized for her contributions to Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, and Kuchipudi. Born on November 1, 1967, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, she is the daughter of Kalyanakrishnan and Subbalakshmi, a supporting actress and Carnatic vocal teacher. Thara Kalyan received extensive training in classical dance for over ten years under the tutelage of renowned gurus Kalaimamani Rajarathinam Master and Sri Vinayachandran. She holds the esteemed status of an 'A top' Mohiniyattam artist of Doordarshan, India's public service broadcaster. A pioneer in her field, Thara Kalyan was the first artist to present a solo Mohiniyattam recital on Doordarshan in 1983, significantly enhancing the dance form's visibility on national television. She is also credited as one of the first creative Mohiniyattam dancers to integrate famous poems as thematic elements in her performances, with notable works including 'Amma' (O. N. V. Kurup), 'Karuna' (Kumaran Asan), 'Bhoothappaattu', 'Yashodhara', 'Anarkali', and 'Thaathri Kutty'. Beyond her performing career, Thara Kalyan is a dedicated educator. She founded and successfully runs the 'Sri Mookambika Academy' (also referred to as Thara Kalyan Dance Class/School), with its primary location in Thiruvananthapuram and a branch in Cochin (Ernakulam). As of 2013, she had completed 26 years of teaching, indicating she began her teaching career around 1987. Her daughter, Sowbhagya Venkitesh, is also a dancer and has performed with her. Awards & Honours: Kala(Art) Kuwait - Sambasivan Award (2014), Kerala State Television Award for Best Actress (2000), Asianet Television Awards for Best Character Actress (2016).