1. Arya Shekar
(29-Aug-1998)
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Arya Shekar has been training under Guru Sridevi for the past 6 years, and in that time has given many performances for various organizations in the U.S. In fact, she even participated as the youngest member of the Siva Sakti troupe which toured the nation in the fall of 1996. Arya’s sincere love of the arts has also helped her to succeed in Western flute and Indian Carnatic vocal music. She is currently 14 years old and a sophomore at Shrewsbury High School, where she is a highest honor roll student. And as for the future, Arya knows only that she will continue to pursue her genuine interest in Bharathanatyam for artistic fulfillment. |
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2. Usha Narayana
(12-Sep-1998)
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Usha Narayana is currently a senior at Concord-Carlisle High School. She has been training under Guru Sridevi Thirumalai for the past three years. She enjoys learning more about her culture and heritage. Usha plans to grow and mature in the art of Bharatanatyam.
Usha also received an award from the Concord-Carlisle Community Chest for sharing the heritage of classical Indian dance with the Concord Council on Aging.
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3. Rachna Rao
(14-Aug-1999)
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Rachna Rao completed her sophomore year and will be a junior this fall at Notre Dame Academy. She has been training under Guru Sridevi for the past five years. She has participated in many cultural events for different organizations Dance has taught her discipline, and at the same time, helps her get a deeper insight to the rich Indian culture. She says Bharatanatyam is an inspiration in her everyday life as well. Aside from her obvious interest, she also plays the piano, and participates in school plays. She is the junior class treasurer, and is very involved in school activities. |
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4. Shivani Srivastava
(22-Sep-2001)
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Shivani has shown a keen interest in dance since she was three years old. While living in Chicago, she started ballet dancing. After moving to Boston, Shivani started learning Bharatnatyam from Sridevi Thirumalai. She has been training for the past 4 ½ years. Learning this art form requires a lot of hard work and strict discipline. These qualities have also helped her in her studies and other activities. Through Bharathanatyam, she has gained a deeper understanding of our rich Indian culture.
Shivani is 10 years old, and a 6th grade student at Charles River School in Dover, Massachusetts. Besides dancing, she also plays the piano, loves to swim and play soccer.
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5. Neha
(21-Sep-2002)
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Neha has been a student of Bharatanatyam at the Natyamani School of Dance since the age of 9. Under the inspiring, excellent and disciplined tutelage of Guru Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, her enthusiasm and dedication to this dance is now firmly rooted. She is 15 years old and is a sophomore at the Nashoba Regional High School in Bolton, Mass. She plays the flute in her school band, participates in dramas and is a member of the school's elite choir. In her spare time she volunteers at UMass Memorial Hospital. She is very outgoing and enjoys spending time with friends and family. |
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6. Swathi Maddula
(12-Oct-2002)
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Swathi has shown keen interest in dance since she was two years old. She has been learning Bharatnatyam from the tender age of 6. Learning this art form requires a lot of hard work and strict discipline. These qualities have also helped her in her studies and other activities. Through Bharatnatyam, she has gained a deeper understanding of our rich Indian culture. Swathi is an honor student and sophomore at Shrewsbury High School. Besides learning Bharatnatyam, Swathi also learns Carnatic classical music (vocal) from well known Guru Smt. Tara Anand and plays the piano. She has been selected to Central Mass District (vocal) competitions for two consecutive years and chosen to be a member of High School Acappella Choir. She has also received Magna Cum Laude in national latin exams. She has also received awards in the Science Olympiad and Odyssey of the Mind competitions. |
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7. Gayathry Sooriyakumar
(17-July-2004)
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Gaya has been learning Bharathanatyam at the Natyamani School of Dance since the age of nine. She showed great interest in this art form from day one. Through the guidance of her excellent Guru Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai, Gaya has gained a deep appreciation for Bharathanatyam. This art form has inspired her to be a dedicated, disciplined, and hardworking student in all the tasks she faces. Gaya is a high honor roll student at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts. She will be entering her senior year this fall. Gaya is a member of the school's Amnesty International Club as well as a volunteer at the local hospital. |
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8. Jyotsna Vinayak
(11-Sep-2004)
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Jyotsna has shown keen interest in dance since she was five. Jyotsna has been under the tutelage of Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai for the past seven years.
Learning this art form requires a lot of hard work and strict discipline. These qualities have also helped her in her studies and other activities. Jyotsna also learns Carnatic Classical music from Guru Smt. Geetha Murali Iyer.
Jyotsna is a honor student at Ursuline Academy in Dedham, MA.
She is a part of her school swim team and track team. She also participates in her school debate club. During her free time, Jyotsna volunteers for various community services.
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9. Ahalya Kodali
(25-Sep-2004)
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Ahalya Kodali has been a student of Sridevi Thirumalai for the past seven years at the Natyamani School of Dance. At the tender age of five Ahalya started learning Bharathanatyam from Meena Subramanyam, who stimulated ardent enthusiasm and interest in Ahalya for this most ancient and traditional dance form. Subsequently, under the tutelage of Sridevi, Ahalya continued her appreciation for Bharathanatyam and has learned this art with great passion and perseverance.
Ahalya is currently a junior at Ursuline Academy and has been inducted into the National Honor Society. She enthusiastically participates in Council and also represents Ursuline Academy in Junior Varsity Softball. She recently traveled overseas on 'People to People Student Ambassadors Program' to explore the British Isles and Irish heritage. Ahalya also avidly takes part in community service.
Apart from Indian classical dance, Ahalya enjoys playing guitar, piano and violin. She is also pursuing the Martial Arts and has earned a brown belt. In addition, Ahalya exhibits creativity in computer graphics and has helped in designing professional websites.
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10. Mitali Biswas
(9-Oct-2004)
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Mitali has been learning Bharathanatyam at the Natyamani School of Dance since the age of twelve, and her talent has blossomed under the tutelage of Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai. Her love for the dance began in her childhood when she and her mother would go to her sister's dance classes. Since the she has dreamed of completing her Arangetram. "when your heart is dedicated to it and your love for it is true, you can forget everything and indulge yourself in an endless bliss of cultural, meaningful dance." She is a senior at the Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, MA.
She has made President's List in her school honor role every year. She participated in the school's volleyball team, and will continue Track and Field in both indoor and outdoor seasons. Since her childhood, Mitali has also been an active participant in many choirs, and she was selected in Central Districts for the past two years. In addition, she is greatly involved in school plays and other musical programs. Mital is secretary of National Honor Society, a member of Tri-M, and has has been on student council and steering committee for the past four years through which she enjoys volunteering. She hopes to preserve her passion and continue dance.
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11. Krina Shah
(25-Jun-2005)
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Krina has been learning Bharatanatyam from Guru Sridevi Thirumalai for the last four years. Krina developed her passion for dance with Mrs. Jasmine Shah, starting with the training as well as participation in the folk, cultural and charity events and finally the recital of her Nritya Nipuna.
She considers herself to be fortunate to learn and blossom under the guidance of Guru Sridevi.
Krina is currently a sophomore at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, MA. Krina has been consistently on the Principal's list every term in the high school. Besides dancing, she enjoys playing the violin and keyboard. She also has been participating in her school's cross-country skiing as well as tennis teams. In addition, she enjoys participating in community service as well as charity programs |
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12. Sangita Keshavan
(27-Aug-2005)
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Sangita Keshavan has been learning Bharatanatyam at the Natyamani School of Dance since the age of six. Her dedication and love for this dance has grown under the inspiring guidance of Guru Sridevi Thirumalai. This art form has given her the perseverance and discipline she needs for all aspects of her life. Sangita is 15 years old and will be entering her sophomore year at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, Mass. She is on the Principal's list enjoys singing and participating in school musicals and various clubs. She also volunteers with many organizations. |
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13. Prerana Purohit
(17-Sep-2005)
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Prerana Purohit has been learning Bharatanatyam from the inspiring, excellent and disciplined Guru, Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai for the past seven years. Through these years of training Prerana has learnt about perseverance, hard work and perfection. She also trains in Carnatic vocal music from the well known guru Smt. Tara Bangalore. Prerana has already begun choreography of dances which shows her tremendous interest and enthusiasm for music and dance.
She has excelled equally well in academics. As an elementary student at Venerini Academy, Worcester, MA, Prerana has won President's Education Award for outstanding Academic Achievement and American Citizenship Award from National Association of Elementary School Principals. Prerana's love towards science and public speaking has bagged her first places in Inter-school Dioscean Science fair and Declamation contest respectively. She enjoys reading books and writes poems and was instrumental in starting the school poetry club. Prerana enjoys playing soccer and swimming. Prerana is an honors freshman student at Shrewsbury High School in Shrewsbury, MA.
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14. Arya Palakurti
(1-Oct-2005)
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Arya Palakurthi has undergone formal training for Bharatanatyam for the past nine years. She has pursued this art form in the almost 5000 year-old Indian model of guru-shishya parampara. This model emphasizes rigorous practice, mutual respect and unity of purpose between the teacher and student as pre-requisites for wholesome learning.
Arya plays the violin, is an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan and is partial to floor hockey at her schools. She has entered the 8th Grade at Westwood Thurston School and has exhibited exceptional leadership skills along with a matching academic record. More importantly though, she has a wonderful sense of humor and is a very caring member of the family.
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15. Saudamini Gadgil
(1-Jul-2006)
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Saudamini Gadgil has been learning Bharatnatyam for 14 years. Before Sridevi Thirumalai, she was under the tutelage of Smt. Shruti Kolgaokar in Mumbai, India for 7 years. Other than Bharatnatyam, she has also learned folk dances from Smt. Jasmine Shah for 2 years. Her interest for dance started at the tender age of four.
Other than dance, Saudamini has participated in debate clubs and art clubs at her school. She enjoys oil painting and has received recognition for art from Worcester Art Museum. She also excels academically. She has been on the Honors list all four years of High School and recently received a prestigious award in Spanish for continued excellence over four years. In addition, she ranked 11th nationwide on the National Spanish Exam. She graduated from Westborough High School this June. She will attend New York University in the Fall for a 7-year dental program. She has been accepted into the College of Arts and Sciences Scholars' program.
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16. Mukta Ghorpadey
(30-Sep-2006)
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Mukta is an 11 year old and a 6th grader at Wellesley Middle School. She started her Bharatanatyam training under Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai at the age of 6. She has shown a natural affinity to this intricate dance form and hopes to continue learning from Sridevi Aunty for a long time to come. Mukta has always been a voracious reader, loves watching movies, likes to challenger her dad at swimming laps (she often wins), and loves to harass her pet tabby Biski (to her dad's consternation). Her favorite sport is Football (American, not Soccer). She was one of the only three girls to play on an otherwise all-boys league in 2005 and played on the Needham-Wellesley Eagles team. |
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17. Puja Sree Kumar
(16-Jun-2007)
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Puja is 14 years old and has been learning Bharatanatyam since the age of 5 under the guidance and mentorship of Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai. Puja has just completed her 9th grade freshman year at Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. In addition to her love for the cultural arts, Puja enjoys participating in many different sports. She especially enjoys service related activities through her school where helping those less fortunate is a focus. She is the eldest amongst her cousins and enjoys being the 'big sister' to all. |
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18. Akshaya Krishnaswamy
(11-Aug-2007)
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Akshaya Krishnaswamy has been learning Bharatanatyam from Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai for the past six and a half years. During this time, she has demonstrated a keen interest for this dance form and under the guidance of Guru Sridevi understands the dedication and devotion involved with this art form. A deep sense of respect and affection for her Guru has helped her in evolving as a dancer. She intends to continue pursuing dance as she believes it keeps her connected to her culture and never misses an opportunity to perform in front of an audience.
Akshaya attends the Shrewsbury High School at Shrewsbury, Ma. She will be in the Junior Year in the fall of 2007. She has consistently made it on the Highest Honors list and also serves as Treasurer of her class. In 2004, she participated in the 'Heart of the Mediterranean' – a People to People Student Ambassadors Program. She was part of a group of delegates under this prestigious program and visited Italy, France, Monaco, Malta as a student ambassador from the United States and India. Due to her interest in French, she was recently inducted into the National French Honors Society.
Akshaya is a member of SMAC, Sudents of a Medically Aware Community. She also works/volunteers at the Kumon center for Math and Reading at Framingham, MA. Apart from dance, she enjoys playing the piano, roller skating and watching her favorite show "Lost". She also enjoys doing multimedia projects and designing web pages.
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19. Shweta Athilat
(21-Jun-2008)
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Shweta Athilat has been learning Bharatanatyam at Natyamani School of Dance since the age of 5. Her dedication and love for this dance has grown under the inspiring guidance of Guru Smt.Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai. Shweta is 16 years old and has just
completed her sophomore year at the Westborough High School, Westborough, MA. She is a diligent student and has consistently been on the Honor Roll List of the Westborough High School. She has received the President's Award twice and is a member of the
National Society of High School Scholars. She is also a member of her school Literary Magazine Committee, Multi-Cultural Council, and Environmental Club. Shweta works at the Kumon Math and Reading Center in Shrewsbury, MA and her community service involves volunteering at the UMASS Memorial Hospital in Worcester, MA. Shweta has varied interests, such as drawing, writing poetry, playing the Piano and Alto Saxophone. She is
the member of National Fraternity of Student Musicians (A Division of the American College of Musicians) and is a part of her school's Concert and Marching Band. She has had her poetry published in the International Book of Poets and has also won the Editor's Choice Award.
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20. Janhavee Deshpande
(12-Jul-2008)
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Janhavee was first introduced to the ancient dance form of Bharatanatyam when she was 6 years old. Since then she has developed her dancing skills under the skilled guidance and loving tutelage of her Guru Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai. In fall of 2008, Janhavee will be an entering senior at Westborough High School. In addition to her interest in Indian culture, arts, and music, Janhavee participates in a rigorous academic curriculum at school and is also an active athlete. She is a member of both the soccer and track teams. Janhavee plays the tenor saxophone and participates in the Concert and Jazz Bands at the High School. Janhavee works tutoring young children and middle school students. She especially enjoys volunteering her time at the local animal shelter. She is the oldest among all cousins and has a
younger brother.
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21. Sneha Subramaniam
(19-Sep-2009)
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Sneha has been learning Bharathanatyam at the Natyamani School of Dance since the age of 7. Under the inspiring tutelage of Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai her dedication and love for this dance form has grown steadily. Sneha likes all types of dances and choreographs and performs at local events. She is 15 years old, and has just entered her sophomore year at Westborough High School. She is a high honor student and has received the President's award two years in a row. She enjoys sports and plays on the basketball and field hockey teams at her school. She also plays the piano. She is an active member of the school student council and the Indian Youth Group. She volunteers at UMass Memorial Medical Center. In her spare time she enjoys reading, and spending time with her family and friends. |
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22. Nivedhitha Ramesh
(12-Jun-2010)
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Nive's love for Bharathanatyam has been nurtured from the age of 7 as a disciple of Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai. Her training at the Natyamani School of Dance has not only introduced her to this ageless art form, but also inculcated discipline, focus, and grace. Nive, at 16 years of age, is completing her sophomore year at Algonquin Regional High School. She enjoys all forms of dance, and volunteers to teach and choreograph at the India Society of Worcester. She also performs at cultural events in the area. She
is a voracious reader, an imaginative writer, and is a member of The Camarata Singers, a select chorus group at Algonquin.
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23. Divya Satishchandra
(26-Jun-2010)
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Divya, age fifteen, is currently a student at Worcester Academy where she has completed her freshmen year of High School. Divya has excelled at Worcester Academy by consistently making the headmasters list every semester. She has participated in several athletic teams, including cross country, track, and varsity tennis. She also wrote for the school paper and was a part of the debate team. Divya was a 2010 recipient of the Cloyd E. Small Biology prize for excellence and interest in biology. She enjoys being with her friends and is very close to her brother, Rohit. Later this summer, Divya plans to volunteer at Milford Regional Hospital.
Divya started learning Bharatnatyam at the age of six under the tutelage of Sridevi Thirumalai. During the process of completing her Arangetram, Divya gained a great deal of knowledge and appreciation for the art form. She intends to continue learning and performing for many years to come.
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24. Anushya Pandian
(11-Aug-2010)
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Anushya, age sixteen, is currently a junior at the Acton Boxborough Regional High School, Acton, Massachusetts, USA.
Anushya's love for Bharathanatyam has been nurtured from the age of 5 as a disciple of Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai. Her training at the Natyamani School of Dance has not only introduced her to this ageless art form, but also inculcated discipline, focus and grace. She enjoys all forms of dance and has performed at many charity and cultural events in and around the Boston area. Anushya acted as Meera in a dance drama called "Meerabai The Musical". This drama was a charity fund raising event for Udavum Karangal (Helping Hands). Recently she performed at Devagiri Sri Venkateshwara Temple, Bangalore. Anushya intends to continue learning and performing Bharathanatyam for many years to come.
Anushya is a student at the Anubhava Music School where she has been learning carnatic music under the tutelage of Guru Smt. Tara Anand. Anushya is a member of her schools drama club in which she enjoys acting and working backstage for various plays and musicals. She also volunteers for numerous charitable events in the community. In her free time Anushya enjoys baking, listening to music, and shopping.
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25. Aashika Nagarajan
(18-Sep-2010)
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Aashika has been learning Bharatanatyam under the training of Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai since the age of 7. During the past 8 years, Sridevi has instilled in Aashika a love for the ancient art form through the process of shaping the dancer she is today. Aashika's Bharatanatyam experiences have taught her the meaning of qualities such as perseverance, determination, and discipline. She has gained awareness of the dance style's spiritual aspects and origins, which keep her in touch with her cultural heritage. Aashika hopes her passion for Bharatanatyam will continue to introduce new experiences and opportunities in the future. Aashika is 15 years old and has just entered her sophomore year at Acton Boxborough Regional High School. Apart from dance, she has been learning Carnatic music from Guru Tara Bangalore for
the past 7 years. She is part of her school's chorus and has joined
the science team and newspaper club. She also enjoys volunteering
at Emerson Hospital. Her interest in Biology has driven her to participate in activities like the Biogen Community Lab in Cambridge. In her spare time, Aashika loves to get-together with family and friends. |
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26. Swathi Sivasubramanian
(19-Aug-2011)
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Swathi Sivasubramanian began her Bharathanatyam training at the age of eight under the caring tutelage of Smt.Sridevi Thirumalai. The rigorous training involved in completing an arangetram
has greatly increased Swathi's uderstanding of and appreciation for the ancient art form. Swathi is seventeen years old and a recent graduate of Wayland High School. She spent her high school years singing in and directing an a cappella group, taking on the role of a lawyer on her school's Mock Trial team, playing violin for her
school orchestra, and benchwarming for the varsity volleyball team. Swathi also loves singing Carnatic music; she has been learning from Smt. Tara Bangalore for over ten years; in September 2009, she performed her Carnatic Vocal Arangetram with her sister. She is a proud graduate of Shishubharathi, the Indian school of culture and languages. In her free time, Swathi enjoys reading, beating Bhavna at bananagrams, eating ice cream,
and swinging in her hammock with her friends. She will be entering Amherst College in the fall where she, in keeping with the liberal arts mentality, plans to dabble in various fields of study.
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27. Bhavna Sivasubramanian
(19-Aug-2011)
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Bhavna Sivasubramanian has been learning Bharathanatyam under the loving tutelage of Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai since the age of six. She has enjoyed dancing at the Sri Lakshmi temple, Tamil Sangam, and Shishubharati cultural events. She has learned, during
her arangetram preparation, the importance of discipline and determination. Bhavna, age fifteen, is entering her junior year at
Wayland High School. She participates in her school a cappella group, the Madrigals, and plays violin in her school orchestra. She plays for her high school volleyball and basketball teams. She has been receiving training in Carnatic vocal music from Smt. Tara Bangalore for over nine years. In September 2009, Bhavna performed her Carnatic Vocal Arangetram with her sister. She has
the distinction of being a graduate of Shishubharati, the Indian school of culture and languages based in Lexington, MA. After her graduation, she volunteered at the school by assisting third grade Shishubharati students to learn to read and write Tamil and to sing
Tamil songs. She also enjoys volunteering at a senior center in Wayland where she participates in bingo night and Hawaiian luaus. In her free time, she bikes with her mommy, plays bananagrams with her sister, and spends time with her friends.
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28. Naveena Shanmugam
(20-Aug-2011)
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Naveena has been learning Bharathanatyam at the Natyamani School of Dance since the age of 10. Her love for this divine art form has been nourished by Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, who has taught her the importance of dedication, perseverance, and
discipline. Through Bharathanatyam, she has gained a deeper understanding of the rich Indian Culture.
Now sixteen years old, Naveena will be entering her junior year at Mass Academy this fall. She enjoys playing on her school's Basketball team and participates in the Robotics team. She volunteers at UMass Memorial Medical Center as well as Whitney Place, an assisted living home. After having recently found her love for Carnatic music, she has been training with Smt. Uma Shankar for the past year and a half. In her spare time, Naveena enjoys listening to music and spending time with her family and friends.
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29. Neha Vinod
(3-Sep-2011)
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Neha has been learning Bharatanatayam since the age of 6. Initially, she cultivated the interest in this art form under the training of Smt. Meena Subramaniam. For the past 6 years, Neha has been training under Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai, who inspired her to become the dancer she is today. Neha has developed an immense love for this ancient art form. She has volunteered at several senior centers and has spread awareness for this dance style. Apart from dance, Neha has also been playing the flute for the past 8 years at her school. Neha is a senior at Grafton High School, where she is on the executive committee of the National Honor Society. She works at Kumon in South Grafton. She also loves to ride her scooter. Neha enjoys math and English, and plans to pursue a degree in either finance or advertising. |
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30. Aarane Ratnaseelan
(10-Sep-2011)
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Aarane, age seventeen, is currently a senior at Algonquin Regional High School. Her love for Bharathanatyam has been nurtured by her guru Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai since the age of seven. As a student at the Natyamani School of Dance, Aarane has pursued her training with dedication and hard work. This ageless art form has instilled discipline, focus, and grace in Aarane. She intends to continue learning and performing for many years to come. She is also fortunate enough to be learning veena under the tutelage of Smt. Durga Krishnan.
She has excelled at ARHS by consistently making the Principal's List every term for the past three years. On June 14, 2011, Mount Holyoke College presented Aarane with a Book Award to acknowledge her academic excellence, special qualities of leadership, and potential for significant contribution to the community. In addition, Aarane serves as President of the Red Cross Club and Vice-President of the Diversity Awareness Organization at her school. She enjoys volunteering around the community and at numerous charity events. Aarane also serves as the Treasurer of the local Indian Youth Group (IYG). In her free time, Aarane loves hanging out with friends and family, reading, playing the flute, listening to music, and singing.
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31. Shriya Srinivas
(23-Jun-2012)
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Shriya has been under the tutelage of Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai since the tender age of 5. The past 9½ years with Guru Sridevi has instilled in Shriya an immense love for the dance form, Bharathanatyam. The process of learning this art has been a wonderful experience for Shriya and it has exposed her to its rich cultural heritage. Learning this art form has taught Shriya important qualities such as perseverance, determination and discipline. Shriya is very passionate about dance and with the blessings of her Guru, hopes to continue to explore its vast horizons in the years to come. Shriya was awarded the 2nd prize at the NEMA dance competition and the 1st prize at the New England Kannada Koota Rajyotsava dance competition. She is also a student of Carnatic Vocal Music and is learning from Guru Tara Bangalore for the past 8 years. Shriya is a honors student and is entering her freshman year at Shrewsbury High School. She has been part of the 8th Grade Select Choir. She loves arts and crafts, enjoys reading, listening to music and watching dance and movies. |
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32. Ramya Ravindrababu
(10-Aug-2013)
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Ramya Mahalakshmi Ravindrababu will be turning 18 this October. She graduated from Shrewsbury High School Summer 2013 and will be joining Boston University as Biology Major in the fall. Ramya is passionate about Bharathanatyam and has been learning this Divine Art from Guru Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai for over 7 years and will continue to do so. Ramya is an accomplished student. She won the Massachussetts NCWIT award in 2012 for her leadership role in building a website to create awareness of the federal budget. In Five years as a member of the Speech & Debate club she won numerous awards in competitions conducted by the Massachussetts Forensic league. Notably she has qualified twice for the Nationals tournament (Original Oratory) in the Catholic Forensic League. In her Freshman year she founded the Shrewsbury High School Chemistry club and was the president for the club in all four years of her high school. In each of the last 3 years she applied and won grants for running chemistry awareness campaign in the elementary and middle schools and received praise & commendation from the Shrewsbury town committee. She is also a member of the National Honors Society & French National Honors Society. Ramya was trained in Carnatic music by Smt. Tara Anand for 4 years. She has also been the Student Director of the SHS Musical productions in 2012 & 2013. She is also an avid watcher of the food channel and is passionate about cooking. She delights us with her baking and continental food with an Indian flavour. |
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33. Gayatri Kasi
(11-Aug-2013 - Salangai Pujay)
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Gayatri has been under the tutelage of Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai for the past 7 years. Over the years, she has developed a passion for this ancient art form. She has participated in many Natyamani School of Dance productions such as Kshetra and performed in Chennai in 2011. Besides dance, Gayatri has learnt Carnatic music. She is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers at the India Society of Worcester teaching young kids to read, write and speak Tamil. She also runs competitively for track and cross country. Gayatri will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute from September 2013 and is planning to continue to pursue dance during her college years. |
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34. Sneha Rao
(31-Aug-2013)
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Sneha Rao, 16, has been learning Bharatanatyam for 10 years. She began her dance education under the tutelage of Smt. Geetha Sridhar in London. When she moved to Lexington, she learned for two years with Smt. Gayathri Srinivasan. The past five years with Guru Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai have been the highlight of Sneha’s dance journey so far. She has performed in the Natyamani School production, Kshetra, as well as in the two productions in Bangalore this past summer, Nrityollasa and Kaladarpana. These experiences with her Guru have inculcated strong values of discipline, determination, and dedication in Sneha.
In addition to Bharatanatyam, Sneha learned ballet and was part of Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker production. Along with her love of dance comes her passion for music. Sneha has enjoyed singing Carnatic music for the past seven years, and her talent has been brought out by her guru, Smt. Tara Anand. Western violin and piano has also been a big part of Sneha’s life. She pursues her love for western classical violin by being a part of several school and state-level orchestras, including the New England Conservatory’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.
Sneha is a rising junior at Lexington High School, where she actively participates in both the academic and music clubs. She is currently the co-captain of the Lexington High School National Ocean Science Bowl team that was placed 2nd nationally this past year. Being selected for the pit orchestra in the school musical, Miss Saigon, and receiving an honorable mention in the school concerto competition were the highlights of her sophomore year. Last summer, Sneha taught music to disadvantaged children in a school in rural Beijing as part of the Musical Outreach Collaboration, a Lexington High School club that encourages the spread of music to underprivileged societies. This life-changing experience has further motivated Sneha to use music and dance to bring joy to others. |
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35. Pallavi Krishnamurthy
(21-Sep-2013)
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Pallavi Krishnamurthy has been learning Bharatanatyam from the age of seven at the Natyamani School of Dance. Under the guidance of her guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, Pallavi has become a dedicated and disciplined Bharathanatyam dancer. She has performed in several Natyamani School of Dance programs including Kshetra in Boston (2012) and other performances in Bangalore, India (2013). Pallavi is fifteen years old and a sophomore at the Winsor School in Boston. She enjoys participating in debate tournaments and mock trial programs throughout the school year, and has taken part in many school plays. She sings as an alto in her schools Small Chorus and received a summa cum laude in the National Latin Exam. After eight years of study in Indian culture and Tamil language, Pallavi is a graduate of Shishu Bharati School (Lexington, MA). She volunteered this past school year assisting teachers in both culture and language classes. Pallavi has also participated in several Tamil language plays in the Boston based New England Tamil Sangam programs, as well as in the national annual programs at Danbury, CT (2010) and Baltimore, MD (2012). Pallavi is an avid reader and loves Harry Potter. She has a wonderful sister, Sindhu, who also learns Bharathanatyam under Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai. |
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36. Sirisha Nouduri
(29-Sep-2013)
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Sirisha has been learning Bharathanatyam from Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai from the tender age of 5. In the last nine years Sirisha has performed at many Telugu Association events as well as the many well-known Annual Days of Natyamani School of Dance. She has also performed at Kshetra, a 20th anniversary production of Nayamani School of Dance on June 23, 2012. In addition to that, Sirisha also performed at Nrithyollasa and Kaladarpana which were two productions choreographed by Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai both performed in Bangalore. While Guru Smt. Sridevi Thirumalai nourished Sirisha’s immense love for the art form, she also instilled in Sirisha the importance of perseverance, discipline and dedication. Bharathanatyam has also given Sirisha a better insight into her cultural heritage. Sirisha has won second prize at Dhim-TANA dance competition in July of 2011. Sirisha has also been learning Carnatic Vocal from renowned Guru Smt. Tara
Bangalore at Anubhava School of Music for the past 2 years. Before that, Sirisha was taught the basics of Carnatic Music by Guru Smt. Geetha Murali for three years. Sirisha is an Honor roll student and will be a freshman student at the Franklin Public
High School this fall. She is the recipient of the Presidents Academic Award for Excellence at the Annie Sullivan Middle School in Franklin. She has also been a student tutor in Middle School helping other students in Math, Social Studies, Science and English. |
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