Deepa Sashindran

Deepa Sashindran started the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam at the age of 5 under the Gurus Kalamandalam Usha Datar and Dr. Savithri Ramaiah. From the age of 8, she started learning the Kuchipudi form of dance under the renowned Kuchipudi expert Smt. Manju Bhargavi and continued studying under her for three decades. She also trained with Guru Vempati Ravi Shankar on new innovations. Currently, Sashindran is creating finer nuances of the art-form with the Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation Trust, which she established in Bangalore.[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/off-beat-depiction/article6339531.ece News The Hindu - 22 August 2014]{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}

Deepa Sashindran is a versatile artist of the Kuchipudi dance style who has practiced the art-form for close to four decades. She has received many accolades for her vivacious dance techniques and spellbound solo performances. She has also had lead roles in dance dramas and performed alongside her Guru on many prestigious festivals and occasions.{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }} The government of Karnataka's Kuchipudi textbook committee has incorporated her dance pictures into the Kuchipudi text book of that state.{{Cite web |url=http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |title=Website Thiraseela |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108202153/http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}

The First International Kuchipudi Dance Conference of North America, which was held in Houston and organized by Samskriti, invited Sashindran to render solo performances. She has conducted workshops and performances at Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. The Festival of India at Bahrain, organized by the Ministry of Culture, invited an ensemble led by Sashindran to perform.{{Cite web |url=http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |title=Website Thiraseela |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108202153/http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}[http://ccrtindia.gov.in/showprofile.php?pn=DeepaSashindran Government of India - CCRTIndia - Profile]

Sashindran has carved a niche for herself with original choreographic works that include numerous authentic solo repertoires, as well as features and dance dramas such as Shivaleela, Dakshayagnam, Jayadeva Dashavatharam, Agnijyotsna, PanchaNayikas, Sri Venkatadri Vaibhavam (Annamacharya TTD Project), Nadhi, Nandanar Charitam, and so forth. She teaches students In India, Europe, USA, Australia, South Korea, the UAE, and South Africa.

Sashindran has also helped organize innovative dance festivals such as NatyaVedam, Natya Parampara Utsav, Guru Vandana, and the Art Cafe series. She has helped organize workshops, lectures, and demonstrations.[http://ccrtindia.gov.in/showprofile.php?pn=DeepaSashindran Government of India - CCRTIndia - Profile][http://www.deccanherald.com/content/249950/in-city.html News Deccan Herald - 17 May 2012]{{Cite web |url=http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |title=Website Thiraseela |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108202153/http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://celebrityportal.in/corp/blog/2014/10/01/deepa-sashindran/ |title=Website Celebrity Portal |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=12 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412103053/http://celebrityportal.in/corp/blog/2014/10/01/deepa-sashindran/ |url-status=dead }}[http://www.thisweekbangalore.com/deepa-sashindran-honors-her-dance-guru-smt-manju-barggavee-at-natya-vedam-annual-dance-festival-2012-2/ This Week Bangalore News]

She has received many awards such as the Best Kuchipudi Artiste of Karnataka from Yuvaranga, the Nritya Shiromani National Award at Cuttack, and the Sathyabhama Award from Kuchipudi danseuse Padmasri -Sobha Naidu at Visakhapatnam. Garden University honored her with the International Women Achievers Award, and she has also been honored by the Philanthropic Society of India and Nanma Kerala. She is an accredited artist of Doordarshan, an empaneled artist of the Festivals of India Abroad, a co-opted member of Karnataka NrithyakalaParishath, an interim faculty member at Alliance University, and an examiner at Reva University.[http://ccrtindia.gov.in/showprofile.php?pn=DeepaSashindran Government of India - CCRTIndia - Profile]{{Cite web |url=http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |title=Website Thiraseela |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108202153/http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}

Aside from dance, Sashindran is a law graduate with a PGD in industrial relations and personal management, a human resources specialist in the software industry, and an entrepreneur in Human Capital Management Services. She founded the company Karma Kreators which has successfully engaged with well-known startups and mid-sized companies like Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Samsung, MISys, Subex, Sasken, and others.{{Cite web |url=http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |title=Website Thiraseela |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108202153/http://thiraseela.com/artist/profile.php?perfmrid=49 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}[http://ccrtindia.gov.in/showprofile.php?pn=DeepaSashindran Government of India - CCRTIndia - Profile] She has also taken up social responsibilities as an Rotarian.

The Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation, founded by Deepa Sashindran, is a non-profit trust intended to propagate and promote the Kuchipudi form of classical dance. The Foundation offers systematic training, including master classes in Bangalore and Calicut to cultivate artists of high caliber. The activities of the foundation include not only classes, workshops, performances, productions, and festivals but also other endeavors for the propagation of the art form devised by its professionally run advisory committee.[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/kuchipudi-fest/article6037997.ece News The Hindu 23 May 2014]{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/Natya/Natya%20Parampara%20Utsav.htm |title=Official Website - Natya Parampara Utsav |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=24 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024073646/http://www.deepasashindran.com/Natya/Natya%20Parampara%20Utsav.htm |url-status=dead }}[http://www.anandashankarjayant.com/tour.asp?yr=2014 Website of Ananda Shankar Jayant][http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/Bnuxveh4HjLS5Y7YtvlOhJ/The-TimeOut-Mint-Planner-23-May-2014.html Livemint - Upcoming Events]{{Cite web |url=http://www.narthaki.com/info/prv14/prv861.html |title=Narthaki - Natya Parampara Utsav |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110252/http://www.narthaki.com/info/prv14/prv861.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://bangalore.explocity.com/event/natya-parampara-utsav-2014-bharatiya-vidya-bhavan/ |title=Explocity Website |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=11 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711221709/http://bangalore.explocity.com/event/natya-parampara-utsav-2014-bharatiya-vidya-bhavan/ |url-status=dead }}

The foundation now also holds master classes at Sri Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri’s Swathi Kala Kendram at Calicut, Kerala. Many veteran artists of Bangalore have attended.{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}

In 2014, the Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation held their first "Divinity in Kuchipudi" festival entitled Natya Parampara Utsav. The festival included eminent Kuchipudi artists such as the senior Guru of Kuchipudi Village.

The Foundation produced the inaugural dance drama presentation "Agnijyotsna" about Queen Draupadi. It received rave reviews for its conception, lyrics, music, choreography, and presentation. This production also paved the way for new character innovation without deviating from the purity of the dance form.

The youngest member of the academy, the child prodigy Lakshmika, was featured on the editorial page of the latest 2014 attendance book "Telugu Traditions". This book was written in part by Ashish Mohan Khokar and guest edited by Padmasri Ananda Shankar Jayant.[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/kuchipudi-fest/article6037997.ece News The Hindu 23 May 2014]{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/Natya/Natya%20Parampara%20Utsav.htm |title=Official Website - Natya Parampara Utsav |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=24 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024073646/http://www.deepasashindran.com/Natya/Natya%20Parampara%20Utsav.htm |url-status=dead }}[http://www.anandashankarjayant.com/tour.asp?yr=2014 Website of Ananda Shankar Jayant][http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/Bnuxveh4HjLS5Y7YtvlOhJ/The-TimeOut-Mint-Planner-23-May-2014.html Livemint - Upcoming Events]{{Cite web |url=http://www.narthaki.com/info/prv14/prv861.html |title=Narthaki - Natya Parampara Utsav |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110252/http://www.narthaki.com/info/prv14/prv861.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://bangalore.explocity.com/event/natya-parampara-utsav-2014-bharatiya-vidya-bhavan/ |title=Explocity Website |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=11 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711221709/http://bangalore.explocity.com/event/natya-parampara-utsav-2014-bharatiya-vidya-bhavan/ |url-status=dead }}

Deepa Sashindran organized the Natya Vedam Annual Dance Festival 2012 on 18 and 19 May as a tribute to her Dance Guru, Manju Barggavee. The event was held in Bangalore and featured eminent artists of classical and contemporary dance forms.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150711224256/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/article520374.ece News Indian Express 8 May 2012][http://www.thisweekbangalore.com/deepa-sashindran-honors-her-dance-guru-smt-manju-barggavee-at-natya-vedam-annual-dance-festival-2012-2/ News This Week Bangalore 23 May 2012][http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/adherence-to-tradition/article3451822.ece News The Hindu 24 May 2012][http://www.deccanherald.com/content/250985/F/ News Deccan Herald 21 May 2012][http://cityplus.jagran.com/city-buzz/vibrant-dance-extravaganza_1337840345.html City Plus - Jagran]

The foundation has organized Natya Parampara Utsav for the promotion of the arts. For example, the event "Divinity in Kuchipudi" was held on 24–25 May 2014 at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore and featured eminent artists of the Kuchipudi dance forms.[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/kuchipudi-fest/article6037997.ece News The Hindu 23 May 2014]{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/Natya/Natya%20Parampara%20Utsav.htm |title=Official Website - Natya Parampara Utsav |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=24 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024073646/http://www.deepasashindran.com/Natya/Natya%20Parampara%20Utsav.htm |url-status=dead }}[http://www.anandashankarjayant.com/tour.asp?yr=2014 Website of Ananda Shankar Jayant][http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/Bnuxveh4HjLS5Y7YtvlOhJ/The-TimeOut-Mint-Planner-23-May-2014.html Livemint - Upcoming Events]{{Cite web |url=http://www.narthaki.com/info/prv14/prv861.html |title=Narthaki - Natya Parampara Utsav |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110252/http://www.narthaki.com/info/prv14/prv861.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://bangalore.explocity.com/event/natya-parampara-utsav-2014-bharatiya-vidya-bhavan/ |title=Explocity Website |access-date=9 July 2015 |archive-date=11 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711221709/http://bangalore.explocity.com/event/natya-parampara-utsav-2014-bharatiya-vidya-bhavan/ |url-status=dead }}

• Best Kuchipudi Artiste Yuva Ranga{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website Awards |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}
• Nritya Shiromani National Award{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website Awards |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}
• Sathyabhama Excellence Award{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website Awards |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}
• Nrithya Vilasini{{Cite web |url=http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |title=Official Website Awards |access-date=12 April 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094651/http://www.deepasashindran.com/deepa.htm |url-status=dead }}
• Natya Kousthuba
• International Women Achievers of Bangalore award by Garden City University
• Honored by the Philanthropic Society of India
• Honored by Exide Life Insurance Company Ltd
• Best Institution Recognition by Rotary International

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Deepa Sashindran}}

• [http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/off-beat-depiction/article6339531.ece Review by The Hindu]
• [http://www.narthaki.com/info/rev13/rev1455.html Review by Narthaki]
• [http://www.kuchipudiparamparafoundation.com/ Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation]

Performance videos:

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QN4Y_vLNTA Video of Agnijyotsna by Deepa Sashindran]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEHJLpzxfiQ Udaya News Channel]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_bYiEeBXZw Bala gopala Tarangam Kuchipudi]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGqzbNrgMRs Brocheva keerthanam Kuchipudi]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IbWMLB-dfA Ganesha Stuti]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1HqTRnLFAk Guruvayur Temple festival]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OACjMDKFdi0 Devi Stuti Ranjani Niranjani Kuchipudi]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMXUjC_RVuE Kamakshi Stuti]

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Category:Kuchipudi exponents

Category:Bharatanatyam exponents

Category:Living people

Category:Malayali people

Category:Dancers from Karnataka

Category:Indian classical choreographers

Category:1974 births

Category:Indian female classical dancers

Category:Indian women choreographers

Category:Bangalore University alumni

Category:Women artists from Karnataka

Category:20th-century Indian dancers

Category:20th-century Indian women artists