Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair

At 76 years of age, Thengin Thottathil Ramankutty Nair, is still a major figure in the Kathakali scene. He still performs though not all the roles but has virtually retired from teaching. He continues to be revered and Kathakali branthan-s or fanatics speak of him yet as a great artist. He is hailed as a standard-setter and pathbreaker. He has received major awards but most of all he cherishes the love and respect shown to him by other Kathakali artists and by his admirers. The story of his career and accomplishments has become part of the history of Kathakali itself.

Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, as he is popularly known, was born in a very poor family in Vellineghi (Palakkad district) with very little to speak of as heritage in arts. It was fate, if not mere chance, that landed him in the pantomimic world of the great art of Kathakali.

Two conferences, mounted in the United States oneaftertheother in quick succession in the first nine days of September, were devoted to the examination and exploration of Indian dance in the diaspora, Bharatanatyam being the focus in both cases.

One was conducted, 1-3 September in Houston, Texas, by Samskriti (Society for Indian Performing Arts) under the supervision of Rathna Kumar, Director of the Anjali Centre for Performing Arts and herself a dancer, choreographer and teacher of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi.

The Artslndia Award, newly established by the Sruti Foundation, were presented to three Americans on 26 September in New York.

The award consists of a citation, a Tanjavur plate with silver work and a shawl.

The first recipients of the Artslndia Award are:

Nala Najan, Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancer, well-known writer on dance and a Sruti dance critic based in New York;