Malavika Sarukkai | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1959 Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupation | Classical dancer |
| Known for | Bharatanatyam |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2003) |
| Website | web site |
Malavika Sarukkai (born 1959) is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer specializing in Bharatanatyam. [1] [2] [3] She is the winner of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2002). [4] In 2003, she was awarded by the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest Indian civilian award. [5]
Malavika Sarukkai was born in 1959 in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. [6] She began learning Bharatanatyam at the age of 7 and trained under Kalyanasundaram Pillai(Tanjavur school) and Rajaratnam (Vazhuvoor School). [7] [8] [9] She also learned abhinaya under Kalanidhi Narayanan and Odissi under renowned gurus, Kelucharan Mohapatra and Ramani Ranjan Jena. [7] [8] [9] She made her debut at the age of 12 at Mumbai [7] [10] and has performed at many places in India [11] [12] and abroad, [13] [14] including the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, [15] John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts [16] and at Chicago. [17] Her life and work have been recorded by way of a documentary, Samarpanam, commissioned by the Government of India. [7] [8] [13] She also features in a nine-hour television documentary by BBC/WNET under the title, Dancing. [7] [8] [10] The Unseen Sequence – Exploring Bharatanatyam Through the Art of Malavika Sarukkai is another documentary made on her art which has been screened at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Mumbai. [10]
Sarukkai was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the Government of India in 2002. [4] [7] She is also a recipient of Kalaimamani title from the Government of Tamil Nadu and other awards such as Mrinalini Sarabhai Award, [13] Nrityachoodamani title, Sanskriti award and the Haridas Sammelan award. [2] [7] The Government of India honoured her again, in 2003, with the civilian award of Padma Shri. [2] [5] [7]
