Veteran Bharatanatyam guru Manjula Ramaswamy, has been conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for 2022-23 for her contribution to Bharatanatyam. The 66-year-old dancer and the director of Hyderabad-based dance institute Sri Rama Nataka Niketan was honoured by President Droupadi Murmu on March 6, 2024, at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
“I get satisfaction from seeing my students succeed and excel, a remarkable reward. However, receiving recognition from the president is an additional inspiration for me to continue to train and guide my students,” says Manjula after her return to Hyderabad.
Her decision to don a nine-yard Kanjeevaram sari in the traditional Tanjore Iyer style and the humble act of stepping onto the stage barefoot resonated with the audience, evoking admiration. “It’s not just about the performance,” Manjula explains. “Any stage is sacred for me, and that’s why I chose to be barefoot.”
Taking up the role of a guru at the tender age of 10 wasn’t something Manjula had anticipated, but destiny had its plans. Learning and assisting her father, the late VS Ramamoorthy, who had trained scores of disciples, Manjula became a name to reckon with in innovative choreographies. Her students have won competitions and participated in TV reality shows, showcasing the pure Bharatanatyam form.
File photo of Manjula Ramaswamy with her father and Guru V S Ramamoorthy | Photo Credit: GIRI KVS
After her father’s demise at the age of 100, Manjula says stepping into his role was challenging and rewarding. “Yet I embraced it wholeheartedly, driven by the desire to carry forward his legacy. Each batch presented new challenges, but it was both a responsibility and a privilege to nurture young talents, guiding them through the intricacies of our craft. As the years went by, I witnessed the fruits of our laboür as our students brought honour to the institute and all associated with it – the gurus, their families, and our state.”
