Sandhya Purecha

{{Short description|Bharatnatyam dancer}}

{{Infobox artist

| honorific_prefix = Dr.

| name = Sandhya Purecha

| image = Sandhya Purecha.jpg

| caption = Profile of Dr. Sandhya Purecha

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|29 December 1965}}

| birth_place = Maharashtra

| education = Ph.D. Dance

| alma_mater = University of Mumbai

| known_for = Indian Classical Dance form Bharatnatyam

| notable_works = research on Kalasa Karana 2010 Book – Natyashastra Vol I & II

| awards = Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2017, Maharastra State Cultural Award 2006

| website = www.sandhyapurecha.com

}}

Sandhya Purecha (b. 29 December 1965) is a senior Bharatanatyam exponent, Author and renowned practitioner of Indian classical dance.{{Cite web |last=amrita |date=2022-12-10 |title=Sandhya, the chair of W20, meets Amma, the chair of C20 |url=https://www.amritapuri.org/83397/22sandhya.aum |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi |language=en-US}} She is the first person to bring on stage the performance in Bharatnatyam style of the entire Abhinaya Darpan dance treatise as defined by Nandikeshwara in Abhinaya Darpan and as choreographed by her Guru Parvati Kumar. {{Cite web |title=SANDHYA PURECHA |url=http://www.associationsargam.com/sandhya_purecha.htm |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=www.associationsargam.com}} Purecha has researched on Kalasa Karana and published it in 2010.{{Cite web |last=Bhattacharya |first=Piyal |date=17 December 2021 |title=An Analogy Of Bharata's System Of Śārirabhinaya : Exploring The Metaphysics Of Inner And Outer Space And Time |url=https://www.indica.today/research/conference/an-analogy-of-bharatas-system-of-sarirabhinaya/}}

She was bestowed with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2017 for Overall Contribution to Performing Arts. {{Cite web |title=Untitled Page |url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.nic.in |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=pib.gov.in}}

Purecha is the Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi{{Cite web|url=https://indoeuropean.eu/dr-sandhya-purecha-chairperson-of-sangeet-natak-akademi-called-on-dr-vinay-sahasrabuddhep-resident-iccr-today-at-icqrs-in-new-delhi/|title=Dr. Sandhya Purecha Chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi called on Dr. Vinay SahasrabuddheP resident ICCR today at ICqrs in New DelhiC|date=14 October 2022}} and Chairperson of W20 Engagement Group of G20 India 2023.{{Cite web |title=india-moving-towards-women-led-development |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/india-moving-towards-women-led-devpt/articleshow/99506991.cms |website=Times of India}}

Sandhya Purecha is the member of Board of Trustees of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.{{Cite web |title=Board of trustees |url=https://ignca.gov.in/about-ignca/board-of-trustees/ |website=Ignca.gov.in}}

She represents Government Teachers’ Training Programme at Natyashala on “Rasa” theory since 1994.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afternoonvoice.com/celebrated-danseuse-loyal-patron-arts-dr-sandhya-purecha.html|title=Most celebrated danseuse and a loyal patron of the arts - Dr Sandhya Purecha|date=19 November 2017}} She was member of prestigious indian padam awards committee 2023.[https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-04/PadmaAwardsCommittee_13042023.pdf]