Our Institution
Fresh from the halls of Kalakshetra and creativity flowing unbridled, the power couple were ready to take the stage -- without a patron, something almost unheard of in art circles of Madras! "It was Shastri Nagar, 5th Cross Street - I still remember. I was taking classes for one student, Chittilakshmi, after returning home from work every day. We would conduct classes in a small, thatched cottage next to our home." - Dhananjayan: the nascent stages of Bharata Kalanjali
Dhananjayans had a lot of ideas, wanted to propagate them and worked hard to fulfil their aspirations to make their school internationally recognized as one of the premier institutions for dance training. They evolved a unique teaching style and philosophy that incorporated what they had learnt at Kalakshetra combined with their innovative directions.
A global tour, fruitful for Dhananjayan and Shanta gave them the Bharata Kalanjali logo that is still being used today. With the logo, the couple registered Bharata Kalanjali in 1971, making it the only registered Bharatanatyam institution in Chennai. The logo gave Dhananjayan new confidence, as he began training students and hosting a multitude of intimate programs and lecture demonstrations – a novelty in the world of Natya at the time.
Like any other person striving to come up, the Dhananjayans had their own share of struggles, from having work during the day to teaching dance in the evening. Gaining essential business managing skills from his stint at TTK Group of Companies, he was able to put that into practice while running his own institution.
Slowly when the student number swelled to a remarkable 50, the Dhananjayans became full-time teachers and performers. As the institution began to take giant strides, the classes recently shifted to Taramani, their current school at The Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu with an ambience befitting an aesthetic centre of learning.
Our Faculty
Uttiya Barua
A senior performer, teacher, and choreographer, Uttiya Barua trained in Bharatanatyam at Kolkata Kalamandalam and holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in dance from Rabindra Bharati University. He is a long-time disciple at Bharata Kalanjali, under the tutelage of the Dhananjayans. He is also a graded Doordarshan artist and recipient of various national scholarships. Uttiya currently teaches at Bharata Kalanjali and curates Kalna Nrityotsav in West Bengal.
Soumitri Som
Soumitri is a Bharatanatyam dancer and teacher, having received training at Bharata Kalanjali, with strong support from the Dhananjayans and Kalaimamani Jayanthi Subramanian. She has studied abhinaya with Kalanidhi Narayanan and Natyashastra under Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. She now teaches at Bharata Kalanjali and various schools in Chennai. She also performs widely across India.
Devikha
Devikha has trained in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, and Kuchipudi under her mother, Smt. Kalamandalam Jyothi, and later at Bharata Kalanjali. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Mathematics and Bharatanatyam. Devikha is a part of Bharata Kalanjali’s repertory as well as Anita Ratnam’s Naachiyar Next. She teaches at Bharata Kalanjali and takes after-school Bharatanatyam classes at Sharanalaya Montessori School.
Anjannaa Ashok
Anjannaa joined Bharata Kalanjali as a child and is now a performer, teacher, and administrator within the institution. She continues to train while teaching younger students and supporting daily operations. Anjannaa is a part of Bharata Kalanjali’s repertory as well as Anita Ratnam’s Naachiyar Next.
Keerthana
Keerthana began her Bharatanatyam training in Karur and joined Bharata Kalanjali in 2018. With degrees in Economics and Law, she now trains and teaches at the institution. Keerthana is a part of Bharata Kalanjali’s repertory as well as Anita Ratnam’s Naachiyar Next.
Sudha Harikrishnan
Sudha is a Carnatic vocalist and veena player trained under Dr. Karaikudi S. Subramanian. She teaches voice culture, tala, and music appreciation. A longtime associate of Brhaddhvani and Bharata Kalanjali, she has performed and taught across India and abroad. She currently takes classes for the Sangeetham batch at Bharata Kalanjali.
Mrinalini
She teaches yoga to dancers at Bharata Kalanjali, focusing on strength, breath, and reflection. A practitioner of Kalaripayattu, she integrates physical training with inner work.
Lavanyaa
Lavanyaa is a Bharatanatyam dancer and co-founder of Neokalari. A disciple of Bharata Kalanjali, she has over two decades of experience in Kalaripayattu and allied martial arts, integrating Kalari into Bharata Kalanjali’s training to enhance movement and strength.
Muthu
Muthu is a Bharatanatyam performer and a teacher. Initially trained under Sri Shanmugasundaram, he is a long-time student at Bharata Kalanjali. With a background in Tamil folk arts, freestyle dance, and martial arts, he also runs Thrayam Defence Academy and is part of Bharata Kalanjali’s admin and program team.