Natyarangam, the dance wing of Narada Gana Sabha has done yeoman service for more than two decades now, Padma Subrahmanyam, Bharatanatyam exponent and president of Nrithyodaya, said here on Sunday.
While speaking at the silver jubilee celebrations of Natyarangam and the 24th annual thematic Bharatanatyam festival ‘Uthsava Bharatham’, she said the organisation had been like a lighthouse in the fields of dance, literature, history, architecture and music.
“I inaugurated Natyarangam 25 years ago. It is heartening to see how much the organisation has contributed in the last two decades. When I started my research, there was no connection between practical, theory and history. Natyarangam has had an extraordinary victory bringing all these together. They have brought literature, religion and arts together and that has been their greatest contribution to what we call soft power,” she said.
Renowned Bharatanatyam teacher and exponent Savithri Jagannatha Rao and many other artists were honoured during the occasion. Ms. Subrahmanyam noted that Ms. Rao richly deserves the honour as a dancer and teacher. “Natyarangam has been encouraging and recognising a generation of artists,” Ms. Rao said.
Mohan Sreenivas, president of Narada Gana Sabha also spoke at the event. The ‘Uthsava Bharatham’ will go on till August 23.
