Nritya Kalanidhi Award presented to Urmila Sathyanarayanana
Bharatanatyam exponent Urmila Sathyanarayanan was presented the Nritya Kalanidhi award at the 19th Dance Festival inaugurated on 3 January 2026 at the Music Academy in Chennai.
Presenting the award, Takahashi Muneo, Consul-General, Consulate General of Japan in Chennai, said the honour was not only a recognition of her artistic excellence but also of her lifelong commitment to the preservation and propagation of Bharatanatyam.
Drawing parallels between Indian and Japanese dance traditions, he said classical Japanese forms such as Noh, Kabuki and Nihon Buyo emphasised controlled movement and discipline — aspects that resonate strongly with Indian classical dances. Both traditions, he said, share a deep respect for heritage and the teacher-disciple lineage.
Takahashi Muneo said many Japanese students had travelled to India to learn Bharatanatyam, while several renowned Indian dancers had taught and performed in Japan, serving as a powerful example of how culture can connect nations. The Japanese Consul-General also described the Music Academy as the abode of art and culture and lauded the Academy for its service in the field for 99 long years.
Accepting the Nritya Kalanidhi award for 2025, Urmila Sathyanarayanan expressed gratitude to her teachers, students and the Music Academy. Recalling that her arangetram was held decades ago at the very same venue — the Music Academy, she said receiving the award from the renowned institution was considered a milestone in the life of a dancer.
Earlier, N. Murali, president of the Music Academy and Director of The Hindu Group of Publications, said the award to Urmila Sathyanarayanan came at an important stage in her artistic journey — 50 years after her arangetram and 30 years since she founded the dance school ‘Natya Sankalpa’. She is known for her improvisation and innovation, with several acclaimed thematic presentations and dance dramas to her credit, he said.
— Edited excerpts from The Hindu
