Sangita Kala Acharya, Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar was a multifaceted personality — a dancer, choreographer, researcher, musician, academician, composer and teacher of Bharatanatyam. He performed and taught for almost eight decades in India and across the globe.

Born on 22 May 1935 in Shimla, he was one of the first disciples of Kalakshetra: trained in Bharatanatyam by Rukmini Devi, Karaikkal Saradambal, K.N. Dandayudhapani Pillai, Peria Sarada, and Sarada Hoffman; in music by eminent musicians like Mysore Vasudevachar, Budalur Krishnamurthy Sastrigal, Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer and M.D. Ramanathan. Holder of a Masters degree in Botany from the Banaras Hindu University, he began giving dance performances from 1947.

He retired as the Dean, Professor and Head of the Department, Faculty of Performing Arts, MS University of Baroda in 1992. He and his wife Jaya (who is also a dancer) settled in Chennai and established their dance school ‘Nrithyasree’. Their daughters, Chitra and Manjari are also accomplished dancers. Prof. Chandrasekhar was member of several committees and government bodies dealing with fine arts, and cultural delegations from India.

Well versed in Carnatic vocal music and Hindustani bhajans, he composed the music for all his productions. He has composed jatisvarams, varnams and tillanas which are very popular. He has also created new movements based totally on the basic Bharatanatyam technique. Famous for his perfect araimandi, angasuddham, subtle abhinaya and excellent choregraphy, he was not only an inspiration for young dancers but for every dancer, and a mentor for male dancers.

As one of the leading performers and choreographers of Bharatanatyam, he won laurels nationally and internationally, also representing India in several international festivals. His workshops and lecdems revealed a wealth of knowledge. His major works of choreography include Ritu Samharam and Meghadutam of Kalidasa, Bhoomija (Ramayana), Aparajita (Devi Mahatmiyam), Pancha Maha Bhoota, Aarohanam, Bhramarageet, and Kreeda.

He was a recipient of several prestigious awards such as the Padma Bhushan, Sangita Kala Acharya, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar, Natya Kalanidhi, Nritya Ratnakara, Nritya Choodamani, Nadabrahmam, Kalidas Samman, as well as awards of the States of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Kalaimamani from Tamil Nadu.

In recognition of his achievements and contribution to the field of classical music and dance, The Music Academy, Madras, conferred on him the title of Sangita Kala Acharya in 2006 (the Natya Kala Acharya award was instituted only in 2011). He performed in the Music Academy Dance Festivals in 2007, 2008 and 2011. He inaugurated the 8th Dance Festival in 2014 and conferred the Natya Kala Acharya award on Bharatanatyam exponent Chitra Visweswaran that year.

The Music Academy mourns the passing away of veteran Bharatanatyam exponent and guru Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar on June 19, 2024.

Though he is no longer with us in person, he lives through his dance and artistic works. We bring to you a few excerpts from his performances at the Music Academy:

(1) Sangita Kala Acharya C.V. Chandrasekhar’s presentation of the Tyagaraja kriti ‘Sree Ganapatini’ in Saurashtram raga, Adi tala. He performed this as the invocatory item for the M.N. Subramanian Memorial 2013 Award concert held at the Academy.

(2) An excerpt from composer Papanasam Sivan’s Natakurinji varnam ‘Swami naan unthan adimai’ in Adi tala. Performed at 10 am on 9th January 2011. Enjoy watching him perform the tough jati.

(3) Here is a speech by Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar on the gender bias and his tough and long journey in dance. This he spoke before his performance at the Dance Festival of the Music Academy at 10 am on 7th January 2008.