Indira Rajan

**Indira Rajan** (1939–29 April 2022) was an Indian Bharatanatyam dancer and teacher. She was the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award which she received in 1996 for her contributions in dancing. In her dance academy at Chennai, she has taught more then 1000 students.

## Early life

Rajan was born in the year 1939 in Karaikal, Puducherry, India. She was born in an Isai Velalar family. Isai Velalar is a community found in the Tamil Nadu region of India. They are traditionally involved as performers of classical dance and music in Hindu temples. Her grandmother Sundarambal was a famous Sadir dancer of her time, while her mother Sundara Kamakshi was a well-known musician and her uncles KN Dandayudhapani Pillai and KN Pakkiriswami Pillai were noted natyacharyas. Indira left her home to learn dance at the age of six. She started dancing under Guru Ganesh Pillai and had learnt Arangetram. She performed in public for the first time at the age of nine. She continued her training with guru while also starting an independent dance career at the age of 13. In 1955, she left to Madras to learn and upgrade her dancing skills.

## Career

Indira has performed a lot in India as well as out of India. During her long and successful career she was selected to perform in North and East India under the cultural exchange program of _Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Natak Manaram_. She has performed at important state functions and in the presence of several high ranking officials. She has composed dances on traditional songs from Tevaram, Thiruvachagam and Nalayara Divya Prabandham and has choreographed many dance-drama on various themes. She has also done few dance choreography for movies. In 1982, she performed at the Veinna International Film Festival.

Many famous dancers asked her to help with their performances, doing the _nattuvangam_. Nattuvangam is a rhythmic accompaniment in the classical Indian dance form known as Bharatanatyam. It involves playing rhythmic patterns on cymbals called "manjira" or "taal" while reciting rhythmic syllables known as "sollukattu" or "jati." It plays a crucial role in helping the dancers with rhythm and tempo during a Bharatanatyam performance. Over her long career of more than six decades, she taught over 1000 students at her school Vadhini Natyalaya. She was chosen as one of the 'important teachers' by the South Zone Cultural Centre of the Indian Government. She also taught dance to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, for around 1 year.

## Death

Indra died on 29 April 2022, at the age of 82 or 83. Coincidentally, she died on the International Dance day. One of her student said, "Her death on International Dance Day shows her divine connection with the art".

## Awards

For her contributions to the field of Bharatanatyam, Indira got the following Awards:

Natya Kala Ratnam: 1976

Natya Kala Bhushan: 1976

Kalaimamani: 1991

Sangeet Natak Akademi award: 1996

Acharya Choodamani: 2004

## Other websites

- How Indra Rajan excelled nattuvangam artist, a Premium article by The Hindu which can be read free on this Archived link.

## Infobox (dancer)

- **birth date**: 1939
- **death date**: 29 April 2022
- **occupation**: Dancer and Choreographer
- **awards**: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- **dances**: Bharatnatyam
- **years active**: 1955–2022
- **birth place**: Karaikal, Tamil Nadu, India
- **death place**: Chennai, India