Gopinath-An epic personality
Kathak Guru • Musician • Choreographer • Researcher
81+
Years of Experience
2+
Students Taught
1
Followers
❖ Guru Parampara ❖
View Full Parampara TreeAbout
Guru Gopinath (Perumanoor Gopinathan Pillai) (1908-1987) was a pioneering Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and teacher, widely regarded as an "epic personality" in 20th-century Indian dance. Born on June 24, 1908, in Champakkulam, Kerala, he hailed from a family with a two-hundred-year history in Kathakali. He received rigorous training in both…
Journey Timeline
1908
Born in Champakkulam, Kerala
1930
Joined Kerala Kalamandalam — Among the first batch of students.
1932
First stage performance with Ragini Devi in Mumbai — Introduced Kathakali outside Kerala.
1934
Awarded Abinava Nataraja — At the Bengal Music Conference in Calcutta.
1936
Appointed Palace Dancer by Maharaja of Travancore
1936
Awarded Natana Kalanidhi — At the All Malayali Conference in Madras.
1945
Founded Natana Niketan in Madras (Chennai)
1948
Awarded 'Guru' title — At the Indian People's Theatre Association Conference in Delhi.
1953
Performed at various venues in Madras — Watched by Tapati Chowdhurie at close quarters during cultural delegations.
1954
Received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
1954
Member of first cultural delegation of independent India to USSR
1961
Invited as a judge of Classical Dances — At the Eighth World Youth Festival held at Helsinki, Finland.
1963
Opened Viswa Kala Kendra at Vattiyoorkavu in Thiruvananthapuram
1987
Died on stage — While enacting the role of King Dasharatha in his Ramayana ballet on October 9.
1994
Guru Gopinath Natanagramam established — By the Department of Culture, Government of Kerala.
Photo Gallery
Photos will appear here.
Video Library
Performance videos will appear here.
Signature Performances
Signature repertoire pieces will be showcased here.
Performance Map
A world map of performances will appear here as tours are recorded.
Awards & Honors
- 1954 · Sangeet Natak Akademi Award — Sangeet Natak Akademi
- Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship — Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi
- Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award — Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi
- Veera Srumkhala — Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma of Travancore
- 1948 · Guru — Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA)
- Doctorate — Rabindra Bharathi University
- 1934 · Abinava Nataraja — Bengal Music Conference
- 1936 · Natana Kalanidhi — All Malayali Conference
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