BY A STAFF REPORTER
LOS ANGELES, Ca - Veteran dancer and guru Sumathy Kaushal passed away at the age of 79 on the eve of Guru Purnima. She was born on Feb 20, 1940. Ailing for some time, she passed away at her son Abhiman Kaushal’s home here. Abhiman is a well-known tabla artiste.
LOS ANGELES, Ca - Veteran dancer and guru Sumathy Kaushal passed away at the age of 79 on the eve of Guru Purnima. She was born on Feb 20, 1940. Ailing for some time, she passed away at her son Abhiman Kaushal’s home here. Abhiman is a well-known tabla artiste.
She had made LA her home for more than two decades. The death of her son Adarsh Kaushal, a renowned photographer, who died last year due to a heart attack took its toll on her.
She was one of the first dancers to establish dance institutes in the US to train young Indian-Americans in the classical form. She started the Nritya Shikhara Art Academy in Rancho Cucamonga, an affiliate of Nritya Sikhara in Hyderabad which she founded in 1965 and presented a large number of students both in India and abroad on the performing stage. Nritya Sikhara has become a pioneering dance institute with many achievements to its credit. To date, it has presented 116 Ranga Praveshams and Arangetrams in Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dance styles respectively.
Nritya Sikhara offers classes in Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Mohiniattam.
Sumathy has given a number of performances all over the US. She has also been conferred upon an Honorary citizenship of City of Baltimore and has been recognized by the US Immigration and Naturalization Services as ``an alien of extraordinary ability’’. The Visual and Performing Arts Program at California State University, San Marcos offered her a faculty position as an artist in residence in dance.
Sumathy’s parents Vaddadi Krishna Rao and Vaddadi Sowbhagyam, started sending her to dance classes from the tender age of five. Sumathy, under the constant encouragement from parents, set her mind on learning Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Odissi styles of dances. A staunch believer of the merits of the Gurukul system, Sumathy has learnt from the Gurus, who represent the best Indian tradition and heritage by staying with them. In her performing career which was sustained for about fifty years, starting from the mid 1940s, she has performed at prestigious national and international occasions and venues.
She was one of the first dancers to establish dance institutes in the US to train young Indian-Americans in the classical form. She started the Nritya Shikhara Art Academy in Rancho Cucamonga, an affiliate of Nritya Sikhara in Hyderabad which she founded in 1965 and presented a large number of students both in India and abroad on the performing stage. Nritya Sikhara has become a pioneering dance institute with many achievements to its credit. To date, it has presented 116 Ranga Praveshams and Arangetrams in Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dance styles respectively.
Nritya Sikhara offers classes in Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Mohiniattam.
Sumathy has given a number of performances all over the US. She has also been conferred upon an Honorary citizenship of City of Baltimore and has been recognized by the US Immigration and Naturalization Services as ``an alien of extraordinary ability’’. The Visual and Performing Arts Program at California State University, San Marcos offered her a faculty position as an artist in residence in dance.
Sumathy’s parents Vaddadi Krishna Rao and Vaddadi Sowbhagyam, started sending her to dance classes from the tender age of five. Sumathy, under the constant encouragement from parents, set her mind on learning Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Odissi styles of dances. A staunch believer of the merits of the Gurukul system, Sumathy has learnt from the Gurus, who represent the best Indian tradition and heritage by staying with them. In her performing career which was sustained for about fifty years, starting from the mid 1940s, she has performed at prestigious national and international occasions and venues.
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