ARTIST BIO

in order of appearance

1. In Praise of DEVI


presented by young students of Carnatic vocalist Roopa Mahadevan.

Sahana Mahadevan, Sharada Radhakrishna, Syona Radhakrishna, Agastya Ramesh

Accompanied on Tabla by

Pranav Ramkrishnan

Roopa Mahadevan

Roopa Mahadevan is a leading second-generation Carnatic and crossover vocalist in the American diaspora.  Hailed a “stirring voice” by the New York Times, Roopa’s versatility shows up as a multi-genre vocalist, and also as a teacher, dance theater accompanist, choir director, composer, comedienne and more. A Fulbright scholar trained under Asha Ramesh and Suguna Varadachari, Roopa has earned recognition for her Carnatic vocal music from Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, which titled her “Kala Ratna,” India-based publications like The Hindu and Indian Express, and institutions like Music Academy, where she has performed during the prestigious December music season in Chennai. Roopa is also known for her innovative leadership of the NYC-based Carnatic choir Navatman Music Collective. Her signature crossover project Roopa in Flux and numerous collaborations in jazz, soul, free improv, dance/theater have taken her to venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, MET Museum, Lincoln Center, SFJazz, Jacob’s Pillow, and more. She has been in residency at Joe’s Pub, the Banff Center, Hedgebrook, and Ryder Farm, and was a soloist on Christopher Tin’s Grammy Award-winning album Calling All Dawn., In a previous avatar, Roopa worked in public health policy, following degrees from Stanford University.

2. GANGA stotram
presented by Ruchi Tandon

Ruchi has been training in Kathak for the last 8 years under Guru Prashant Shah & Sahasra Sambamoorthi. A software engineer by profession, she spends most of her time outside of work learning, performing and teaching dance. She is an integral part of Navatman, where she re-started her dance journey as an adult, after her childhood training with Guru Deepali Vichare. At Navatman, she has been a part of different productions such as the Mahabharata and Dashavatar and has also performed at several places including the Jamaica Arts Festival. Ruchi is also a dancer at Prashant Shah and Dancers, as a part of which she has performed in major cities all over the US.

3. Yashoda’s Call

presented by

Srinidhi Raghavan

Srinidhi Raghavan (www.srinidhiraghavan.com) is one of the rising stars of the next generation in the field of Bharatanatyam. She started learning Bharatanatyam nearly thirty years ago and has performed globally over the decades. Her experiences have spanned several countries and cultures across North America, Europe and India. Known for her "precise nritta and apt abhinaya" (The Hindu) she is also recognized for her innovative choreographies and original works, which often explore contemporary themes via traditional Bharatanatyam pieces. A graduate of Columbia University and The Wharton School, Srinidhi lives in New York and performs and produces her own shows while also collaborating with artists across genres. 

4. She is ONE of US

presented by

Malavika Singh and Sri Thina Subramaniam

Malavika Singh

Malavika Singh began learning Odissi in 2016 when she participated in Nrityagram’s summer workshop, and falling in love with the artform, traveled there for training during her school holidays. Since 2019, she has been passionately training under guru Bijayini Satpathy virtually and in person and has assisted her at events such as the Studio 5 NYC City Center showcase; she presently conducts weekly Odissi classes at Gibney Studios. 

Sri Thina Subramaniam

Sri Thina Subramaniam www.srithina.com is a versatile, interdisciplinary artist known for her innovative work in Bharatanatyam and Odissi, where she skillfully explores the fusion of these classical Indian dance forms through fluid transitions. Known for presenting her original creations, she also takes on the roles of choreographer, artistic director, and rehearsal master, while curating and collaborating on multiple festivals and events. Her work has been showcased globally, and in New York City. She is currently mentored by Mavin Khoo, Artistic Director at Akram Khan Company, and renowned Odissi exponent Bijayini Satpathy through virtual mentorship.

5. Wisdom in Dance

presented by

Joshika Thalur, Varshini Krishnaswamy, Anjali Lai, Sneha Subramaniam, Swarna Kannan, Shreya Ramesh,

Joshika Thalur

Joshika Thalur is a passionate bharatanatyam dancer who recently restarted her training under guru Sri Thina. She took a break from dancing to pursue her career in investment banking, but her love for the arts couldn’t keep her away for long. She has previously trained under gurus Chithra Muralidharan and Madurai R. Muralidharan in Chennai for 10 years.

Varshini Krishnaswamy

Varshini Krishnaswamy is a professional Bharatanatyam dancer, currently training dance under Smt. Jyolsana Menon. Hailing from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the homeland of Bharatanatyam, Varshini’s avid interest in dancing drove her into learning Bharatanatyam at the age of 4. She feels that dance makes her grounded and it brings out her best self. She also learns music from Smt. Bhagayalakshmi Guruvayur. On the other side of life she is a mother of 5 months old, works at New York stock exchange as a Network Engineer.

Anjali Lai

Anjali Lai has been learning bharata natyam since the age of six and has performed solos, group pieces, and larger dance dramas at various venues around the northeast. She is currently diving deeper into the art form thanks to her teacher and mentor, Sri Thina Subramanian. Anjali has also spent 15 years learning classical ballet from the Royal Academy of Dance in London.

Sneha Subramaniam

Sneha is a passionate Bharatanatyam dancer from Mumbai, India, now based in New Jersey, USA. She began her dance journey at the age of six under the guidance of Guru Kumari Vasantha and later honed her skills with Guru Shri Pavitra Bhat. Currently she is training under the mentorship of Sri Thina Subramaniam. Over the years, Sneha has performed on various prestigious stages across India and continues to share her passion for Bharatanatyam in the United States. In addition to her expertise in dance, Sneha is also trained in Carnatic music, having begun her musical education under her Amma before advancing her training with Smt. Prabha Rao.

Swarna Kannan

Sneha is a passionate Bharatanatyam dancer from Mumbai, India, now based in New Jersey, USA. She began her dance journey at the age of six under the guidance of Guru Kumari Vasantha and later honed her skills with Guru Shri Pavitra Bhat. Currently she is training under the mentorship of Sri Thina Subramaniam. Over the years, Sneha has performed on various prestigious stages across India and continues to share her passion for Bharatanatyam in the United States. In addition to her expertise in dance, Sneha is also trained in Carnatic music, having begun her musical education under her Amma before advancing her training with Smt. Prabha Rao.

Shreya Ramesh

Shreya Ramesh started learning Bharatanatyam at the age of five from her mother, Smt. Srividya Ramesh. In 2012, she completed her arangetram under the tutelage of Smt. Suganda Sreenath. Shreya has performed and toured in productions such as Aikya Bhaaratam directed by The Dhananjayans and Vana Viraata Vijayam directed by Smt. Anita Guha, as well as solo performances in the Chennai Margazhi Festival. She has choreographed and directed group productions for the APAture arts festival and the Dance Mission Theater’s Choreographers Showcase in San Francisco.

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