Padma Subrahmanyam Height, Age, Husband, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Padma Subrahmanyam

• Padma Subrahmanyam is an Indian classical dancer, guru, singer, scholar, author, and choreographer. She is a prominent figure in the South Indian classical dance genre Bharatanatyam. She holds the distinction of being the creator of the Bharata Nrithyam art form. She has garnered widespread popularity and has been awarded on numerous occasions. The establishment of Sengol within the newly constructed Indian Parliament building can be attributed to Padma Subrahmanyam’s letter to the Indian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in 2021.

• Under the tutelage of Kausalya, she commenced her training in Bharatanatyam and music at Nrithyodaya Dance School in Chennai. She later learnt under Guru Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam with her family when she started training at Nrithyodaya Dance School

  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam when she started training

• Her inaugural on-stage performance (Arangetram) took place in 1956.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam during her debut on-stage performance (Arangetram) in 1956

  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam during her debut on-stage performance (Arangetram) in 1956

• Subsequently, she acquired proficiency in Adavus (the fundamental/initial steps of Bharatanatyam) under the guidance of K. N. Dhandayudapani Pillai and honed her skills in Abhinaya (the art of expression) under the tutelage of Gowri Ammal. She received musical instruction from the renowned classical vocalist B.V. Lakshmanan and the esteemed music director Salil Chowdhury.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam practising dancing

  

  Padma Subrahmanyam during a dancing session

• Her thesis for her PhD was in 108 Karanas in Indian Dance & Sculpture, mainly Natya Sastra, and she did her research under the guidance of Padma Bhushan recipient and noted archaeologist, Dr T.N. Ramachandran.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam during her convocation ceremony

• During her time assisting her brother Balakrishnan with research for a film about temples, she came across dance sculptures called karanas. These sculptures, which portrayed the teachings of the Natya Sastra texts in intricate detail, unexpectedly captivated her interest. As a result, she embarked on a journey into the realm of dance sculpture.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam (second from left) with her family

• She read books by scholars like Ananda Coomaraswamy, T. N. Ramachandran, and C. Sivaramamurti with eagerness. Her research focused on the ‘Karanas in Indian dance and sculpture’ found in temples at Chidambaram, Thanjavur, and Kumbakonam. From her dedicated study, she discovered that the 108 Karanas were not just still poses but lively movements.
  

  Photos of Padma Subrahmanyam imitating poses like karanas

• Studying literature, sculptures, and inscriptions, and drawing inspiration from her own experiences as a dancer, she diligently reconstructed these movements. Through her remarkable efforts, Padma uncovered the harmonious essence shared by all Indian dances, as described in the Natya Sastra. She generously imparts her knowledge through workshops and camps, showcasing her creativity not only in dance but also in designing exquisite hairstyles, costumes, and jewellery that enhance the allure of the enchanting Karanas.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam imitating poses like karanas

  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam imitating poses like karanas

• Through her expertise as a dancer and choreographer, she has mesmerized audiences with a diverse range of solo and group presentations. These include captivating dance dramas like Meenakshi Kalyanam, Viralimalai Kuravanji, Valli Kalyanam, Silappadikaram, Krishna Tulabaram, Parijata Aharanam, Nagarukku Appal, Geetanjali, Shyama, Sri Gurave Namaha, Pavai Nombu, and a special performance of Vande Mataram, paying homage to India’s Golden Jubilee of Independence.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam performing at a dance program

  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam performing at a dance program

• Her artistic vision encompasses an expansive dance technique that utilizes the entire body, incorporating graceful leaps, extended leg movements, and swift footwork. This approach magnifies the intricacies of rhythmic expressions, showcasing her remarkable creativity.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam performing at a dance program

• Reviving the Banika style of mono-acting, she has brought forth captivating productions like Krishnaya Tubhyam Namaha, Ramaya Tubhyam Namaha, Jaya Jaya Sankara, and many more. Her commitment to her artistry has earned her well-deserved acclaim as a distinguished artist in the realm of dance.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam performing during an event

• From a young age, her innate singing talent has shone through in numerous Indian and foreign languages. Collaborating with her sister-in-law, Shyamala Balakrishnan, she has made noteworthy contributions to several albums, including ‘Folk Music of Tamilnadu,’ ‘Krishna Tulabharam,’ ‘Nritya Margam,’ ‘Natana Sivanjali,’ and ‘Saivappamalai.’ In a separate album titled ‘Gita Govindam,’ she delivered a captivating rendition of Jayadeva’s Ashtapadis.
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam with her singing partner, Shyamala Balakrishnan (left)

  

  A poster of Padma Subrahmanyam’s album Gita Govindam

• She graciously lent her melodious voice to the dance performances of her disciples, while also being accompanied by Dr. Gayatri Kannan, the wife of her nephew, as a co-singer.
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam with Gayathri Kannan (left) and L.Murugashankari (right)

• Alongside her extensive repertoire of individual compositions, she has also taken on the role of music composer for the majority of her productions. Notably, she incorporated a multinational orchestra for the music in a few dance dramas commissioned by the Singapore Government, showcasing her innovative approach and global artistic collaboration.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam and her group after their performance for the Singapore government

• She spearheaded the incorporation of Pushpanjali as a dance piece, establishing a groundbreaking precedent within the dance community. Notably, she achieved the remarkable feat of being the first dancer to adapt a Meera Bhajan to suit the grammar of Pada Varnam. Padma’s visionary approach extended further to composing the first-ever Bengali Varnam, featuring soulful lyrics penned by the esteemed Salil Chaudhry.

• At the age of fourteen, she commenced her teaching journey as a teacher at Nrithyodaya Dance School in Chennai. Over time, she ascended to the position of Director, leading the school with her expertise and passion.
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam (right) giving a certificate to a student at her school, Nrithyodaya Dance School

• Based on her extensive exploration of Bharatamuni’s ‘Natya Sastra,’ she has evolved a novel pedagogy for body training. Her disciples are exposed to a holistic perspective of dance, encompassing practical, theoretical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects. Under her guidance, she has trained numerous dancers, teachers, and musicians, including Nattuvangam artists who accompany dance performances.
  

  A photo of Padma Subrahmanyam performing during a dance session

• Padma, blessed with a divine ordination from the revered Centenarian Sage, Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal, the 68th Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, embarked on designing a collection of 108 Karana sculptures of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. This sacred task was carried out for the newly constructed temple of Lord Nataraja in Satara, Maharashtra, as per the sage’s divine instructions.
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam (right) with Sage of Kanchi

• She created sculptures of the Karanas to depict movements not found in the older temples of Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, and Chidambaram. Using twin figures of Shiva and Parvati, she gave life to each Karana movement.
  

  Carvings done in the Nataraja temple, Satara were designed by Padma Subrahmanyam

  

  Carvings done in the Nataraja temple, Satara were designed by Padma Subrahmanyam

• Twelve years later, Padma stumbled upon a profound revelation. At the renowned Prambanan temple complex in Central Java, Indonesia, dating back to the 9th century AD, she discovered approximately fifty Karana sculptures. This extraordinary connection, defying the boundaries of time and space, has been meticulously documented in a book authored by Dr. Alessandra, an Italian archaeologist who conducted her Post-Doctoral research under Padma’s mentorship, with support from the British Academy in London.
  

  Carvings done in the Nataraja temple, Satara were designed by Padma Subrahmanyam

  

  Carvings done in the Nataraja temple, Satara were designed by Padma Subrahmanyam

• Her notable achievement lies in the rediscovery of the ancient artistic principles of ‘Marga,’ a path established by Sage Bharata. Just as Sanskrit coexisted with regional languages, Marga once coexisted with various Indian styles until around five centuries ago. Through meticulous research and exploration, Padma has successfully revived the Marga technique, encompassing the entirety of the Indian subcontinent and extending its influence to other Asian regions.
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam (left) with a disciple after a dance session

• Under the banner of ‘Bharata Nrithyam,’ Padma presents her performances, reflecting on her findings with pride. Remarkably, she employs this distinctive communication technique and language to choreograph Bharata Nrithyam recitals in various regional languages including Tamil, Kashmiri, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. Demonstrating her artistic finesse, Padma adeptly incorporates songs from foreign languages to showcase the captivating art of ‘Abhinaya.’
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam (second from right) after a cultural program

• She has authored numerous research papers, books, and articles published in magazines and newspapers. She showcased her multi-faceted talents by writing the script, composing the music, and starring in the telefilm titled Bharatiya Natya Sastra.
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam during a shoot of a video

• She has authored a multitude of publications, including renowned works like ‘Bharata’s Art: Then & Now,’ ‘Bharatakkalai Kotpadu,’ ‘Natya Sastra & National Unity,’ ‘Kanchi Mahaswami’s Vision of Asian Culture,’ ‘Valluvarum Vedaneriyum,’ ‘Bhagavat Gita for Dance,’ ‘Legacy of a Legend,’ ‘Karanas – Common Dance Codes of India & Indonesia’ (3 volumes), as well as children’s books such as ‘Epic Stories from Natya Sastra’ and ‘Natya Sastra Itihasa Kadhaigal’ (in Tamil).
  

  Cover of Padma Subrahmanyam’s book, Karanas – Common Dance Codes of India & Indonesia

• Padma’s remarkable life and contributions are eloquently depicted in the Tamil biography ‘Padma Subrahmanyam Oru Sagaptam’ by Sundari Santhanam. Furthermore, Chamundeswari has extensively studied her exceptional journey and influence in the realm of dance as part of her Master’s Degree dissertation in Sociology. Padma’s extraordinary talent and accomplishments have garnered international recognition, even in the realm of film productions.
  

  Cover of the book written on the life of Padma Subrahmanyam, Padma Subrahmanyam Oru Sagaptam

• The film ‘Queen of Dance’ hails from Russia, while ‘Padma’ is a production by Film Australia and the Films Division of the Government of India. Notably, NHK, Japan has dedicated a film to her as part of their esteemed ‘Asia’s Who is Who’ series, highlighting her significant contributions to the realm of dance. Dr Christopher Byrski, formerly of Warsaw University, Poland, and later the Ambassador of Poland in India, has honoured Dr Padma by dedicating his research publication titled ‘Concept of Ancient Indian Theatre’ to her.

• In 2023, Padma’s name became widely known across the country when the Indian government announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would establish Sengol near the speaker’s chair during the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28, 2023.
  

  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding Sengol during the inauguration of the new Indian Parliament building

• According to reports, in 2021, she wrote a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) referencing an article from the Tamil magazine Thuglak. She translated the article into English and mentioned that Sengol had been given to India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, upon the country’s independence in 1947.
  

  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding Sengol during the inauguration of the new Indian Parliament building

• She talked about her letter and said that she was amazed by the article when she read about the history of Sengol. She said,
  

  It was an article in Tamil that was published in Thuglak magazine. I was very attracted to the content of the article, which was about Sengol. It was about how Chandrasekharendra Saraswati told his disciple Dr Subramaniam about the Sengol (in 1978), who wrote about it in his books. The Sengol, in Tamil culture, has great significance. The umbrella, the Sengol, and the throne are the three objects which actually give you the concept of the reigning power of the king. The Sengol is the symbol of power, of justice. It is not just something that came from 1,000 years ago. It is also mentioned in the Tamil epic, in regards to Chera kings.” ^[2]India Today ^[3]India Today

• She has been a member of several important committees such as the General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, the National Committee to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Indian Independence & Jawaharlal Nehru’s Birth Centenary, Academic Council of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, Trustee of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, Indo-US Sub-Commission for Education and Culture, and Indian National Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO.
  

  Padma Subrahmanyam speaking at a cultural program