Aparna B. Marar
Aparna B. Marar is an Indian classical danseuse from Kerala. She has attained accomplishment as a dancer, organiser, art educator, choreographer and singer. She is also an engineer with a postgraduate degree in wireless communication engineering from PSG College of Technology. She has received numerous honours including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy's Yuva Prathibha Award, Calicut University's Kalathilakam Award, and a national scholarship by Ministry of Culture. As a regular performer and educator she travels extensively around the world for her performances and lectures. She is an empanelled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations , and a member of the American Dance Therapy Association. She is the director of the Kalabharathi Foundation for Indian Culture and Heritage, a non-profitable cultural organization, regularly organising festivals, workshops and welfare programmes. Marar is involved in art movements for the benefit of society. She is a resource person and a researcher with the National Institute on Developmental Delays, USA, training children with developmental delays in movement exploration activities using techniques of Indian classical dancing. She takes part in art appreciation programmes for the common people and students. Personal life. Marar was born in Guruvayoor, the temple town of  Kerala, to Balram K. Marar, a marine chief engineer and Sreelekha Balram, a homoeopathic doctor. After completing her post-graduation in engineering with a rank, she pursued a master's degree in fine arts (Bharathanatyam) from Sastra university, Thanjavur. She is also an alumnus of the Indian institute of Management, Bangalore wherein she did executive management in entrepreneurship. She has received many honours in arts as well as academics. Marar has also presented and published many technical papers in international journals and at national conferences. Professional life and career. Marar was introduced to dancing at age four. She received extensive  training in different styles of Indian classical dance, Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattom from prominent gurus of the country. She is a student of Kalamandalam Kshemavathy in Mohiniyattom. She also trained under Isaimani R. Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar in Carnatic music, and Sri. Vijay Sursen in Hindusthani music. She is involved in art appreciation programmes and training programmes for children with developmental delays. She propagates dance therapy through workshops and demonstrations across the globe. Under the banner of the Kalabharathi Foundation for Indian Culture and Heritage, Marar regularly organises festivals for the promotion of youth in Indian classical arts. The organisation has also  initiated support services to struggling veteran artists of the country through the scheme "Ashraya Nidhi". Marar is also a noted playback-gazal singer and choreographer.