Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam is acclaimed as a rare combination of a dancer, research scholar, choreographer, singer, music composer, teacher, author and indologist.

Father : Director K. Subrahmanyam - who was an internationally reputed film pioneer, freedom fighter and a parental personality in the cultural field.

Mother : Meenakshi Subrahmanyam - who was a music composer, a lyricist in Sanskrit and Tamil and an instrumentalist who played Veena, Violin and Harmonium.

Academic Background : Bachelor’s Degree (Music), Master’s Degree (Ethno Musicology) and Ph.D Thesis (“Karanas in Indian Dance & Sculpture”).

Dance Guru : Vazhuvur Ramaiah Pillai and a few other eminent masters.

Research Guide : Dr. T.N. Ramachandran who was the Joint Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi and a recipient of “Padma Bhushan” awarded by the President of India.

Music Guru : B.V. Lakshman and Salil Choudhry.

Singer : From childhood, she has had a flair for singing in various Indian and foreign languages. She has sung along with her sister-in-law Shyamala Balakrishnan for a few albums titled "Folk Music of Tamilnadu", "Krishna Tulabharam", "Nritya Margam", " Natana Sivanjali" and "Saivappamalai ". Padma has also sung "Jayadeva's Ashtapadis" for a separate album titled "Gita Govindam". Presently, she sings for many dance performances of her disciples. Dr. Gayatri Kannan (her nephew's wife) is now her co-singer.

Guru : Even as a teenager, Padma started teaching at Nrithyodaya of which she is now the President. She has evolved a new pedagogy for body training, based on her study of "Natya Sastra" of Bharatamuni. Her disciples get a holistic view of the various aspects of dance art - practical, theoretical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. She has trained several dancers, teachers as well as musicians for accompanying dance including "Nattuvangam" artistes.

POSITIONS HELD:
Dr. Padma has served as a member in:
1) Indo-US Sub-Commission for Education and Culture.
2) General Council of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
3) Executive Committee of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
4) Executive Committee of Tamilnadu Eyal Isai Nataka Mandram, Chennai.
5) Advisory Committee for Doordarshan, Chennai.
6) National Committee to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Indian Independence & Jawaharlal Nehru's Birth Centenary.
7) National Committee to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Indian Independence.
8) National Committee to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Indian Republic.

9) Several Expert Committees of the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India.
10) Academic Council of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi.
11) Academic Council of IGNCA, Southern Regional Centre, Bangalore.

PRESENTLY, Dr. Padma is serving as a member in:
1) Indian National Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO.
2) General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
3) Board of Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai.
4) Apart from these, she is associated with several Universities all over India in various capacities.

CONTACT :
Old no. 6, Fourth Main Road, Gandhinagar, Chennai - 600 020.

Tel   : +91 - 44 - 2497 0575 / 2491 0618
Fax  : +91 - 44 - 2442 0258
Email : kannanveena@hotmail.com