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
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