Chandramana Govindan Namboothiri was a famous Kathakali artist from the South Indian state of Kerala
C.G Namboothiri was born in Chandramana Illam, Asamannoor, to C.S. Govindan Namboodiri (After whom he was named) and mother Devaki Antharjanam. He has a wife and four sons.
Govindan Namboothiri started learning Kathakali in 1947 under Kavunkal Chathunni Panikkar. After the 3 years study in Kerala he went to Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, Ahmedabad. Govindan Namboothiri also learnt under Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Mankulam Vishnu Namboothiri.
Neralattu Rama Poduval or Njaralathu Rama Poduval (1916–1996) was an exponent of the ashtapadi/sopanam music form practised in Kerala in southern India. A recipient of the Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, he hailed from a rugged village called Thiruvaazhaamkunnu, near Mannarkkad in Palakkad district and lived most of life in Angadipuram in Malappuram district, the place famous for the Thirumanthamkunnu Temple.
Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nair popularly known as Kalamandalam Gopi, is an Indian dancer who is an exponent of the classical dance-drama style known as Kathakali.
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was a Kathakali dancer from Kerala in India.
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair was a performer of Kathakali, who practiced the Kerala art form for more than seven decades.
Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair (1916–2007) was a Kathakali artists from Kerala, India. Endowed and equip with a life profile that also show him to several traditional Indian performing arts other than Kathakali, his stage presentation infused a fresh breath into the four-century-old art form, thanks also to his broad and deep view about the Puranas that spurred from a constant pursuit of knowledge through reading books and engaging in talks in scholars.
Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri (1944–2007) was one of the most popular Kathakali musicians, credited with initiating a new wave in the rendition of songs for the classical dance-drama from Kerala in South India. His shruti-aligned music was glistened by a velvety voice, easy reach of the three octaves and command over stage proceedings that gave him a massive fan following, even as his form received an abrupt setback in 1990 when he suffered a major ailment from which he could never recover fully.
Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair (1928–2007) was an eminent Kathakali exponent, equally known for his capacities as a tutor, theoretician and author of a few authentic texts on the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. A son of the Kathakali guru Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, Padmanabhan Nair was one of the early-batch students in Kerala Kalamandalam, where he subsequently joined as a teacher and retired as its principal in 1990. He died on 3 April 2007, at his home in Shoranur, near his alma mater, where he led his post-professorial life with wife and Mohiniyattam exponent and guru, Kalamandalam Satyabhama.
Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody was an Indian Kathakali actor known for his classical dance-drama of Kerala. A frontline disciple of Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, he exceled in virtuous pachcha, anti-hero Kathi and the semi-realistic minukku roles alike. Nalan, Bahukan, Arjunan, Bhiman, Dharmaputrar, Rugmangadan, Narakaasuran, Ravanan, Parashuraman and Brahmanan were his masterpieces. Vasu Pisharody performed Kathakali all over India and visited foreign countries about 20 times.
Sadanam Krishnankutty is a performer of Kathakali, a classical dance-drama form of Kerala, South India. A recipient of Kerala State Kathakali award and Kalamandalam fellowship, he has donned a wide range of characters in his acts. He received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 2002, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2007, Honorary D.litt from Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, Thirur, Kerala in 2021 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2021.
Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri or Nelliyod Vasudevan Namboodiri was a Kathakali artiste, noted primarily for his vibrant portrayal of the evil chuvanna thaadi roles of the classical Kathakali dance-drama from Kerala in south India. He was also very famous and known for the characters 'Kuchelan' from Kuchelavritham and 'Aashaari' from Bakavadham.
Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval (1924–2008) was a maddalam maestro who rose to prominence by his aesthetically pleasing taps on the instrument—a vital percussion accompaniment for Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. A disciple of the legendary Venkichan Swami, he, along with chenda exponent, Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, ushered in a new spring in the acoustics of their performing art.
Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair (1916-2000) was a pioneering Kathakali artiste who brought to prominence female characters in the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India.
Kalamandalam Kesavan was an Indian kathakali percussionist, playwright and actor in Indian cinema. He did roles in Malayalam movies during the 1990s and 2000s. He is popular for his role Payyarathu Padmanabhan Nair as Jayaram's father in the movie Katha Nayakan.
Mathoor Govindan Kutty was an Indian Kathakali artist from the state of Kerala. In a career spanning over six decades, he specialized in Kathakali Stri Vesham, the portrayal of female characters on stage. He was the recipient of the 2011 Kerala State Award for the best Kathakali artist, 2010 Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and the 2005 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for contributions to the Kathakali art form.
Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan is a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He received several awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2016. His biography titled Kachaiyum Mizhukkum was published in 2015.
Tonnakkal Peethambaran is a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He has been honored with several noted awards including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award 2003, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2011 and Kerala State Kathakali Award 2014.
Kalamandalam Rajan was a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He has been honored with several noted awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2009, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja award 2006 and awards from Kerala Kalamandalam.
Champakulam Pachu Pillai is a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He was a specialist in the thadi or bearded roles in kathakali. He has been honored with several noted awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1983, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award 1969 and Kerala Kalamandalam Award 1991.
Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri is a Maddalam exponent from Kerala, India, best known for playing Maddalam for Kathakali performances. He received several noted awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award.
Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award is an award given by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, an autonomous organisation for the encouragement, preservation, and documentation of the performing arts of Kerala, set up by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala. Instituted in 1962, the awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts. The award consists of Rs. 30,000, a citation and a plaque. The recipients of the award are also conferred the title Kalasree.