 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Murugashankari Leo | |
|---|---|
 Murugashankari Leo, Bharatanatyam Danseuse | |
| Born | Murugashankari.L 1983 Chennai, India Chennai, India |
| Occupation | Bharatanatyam Danseuse, Research Scholar & Theater Actor |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Spouse(s) | Vivekh Kumar |
| Parent(s) | 'Kalaimamani' Leo Prabu, Usha Prabu |
| Website | kalaikoodam |
Murugashankari Leo is an Indian dance tutor, theatric actor, and research scholar.[1]
Murugashankari has performed this art for long and has performed it countless times across India and other countries.[2]
Early life[edit | edit source]
Murugashankari hails from a family of artistes. Her father Leo Prabu is a veteran dramatist, Television Personality and a yesteryear actor in Tamil movies who has played pivotal roles in a number of Tamil films like Rendum Rendum Anju, Naan Mahaan Alla, Annae Annae, Paer Sollum Pillai etc. He is the recipient of ‘Kalaimamani’, the highest state award by the government of Tamil Nadu for Tamil Theater. His achievements as an actor is well known in Tamil Nadu, India.
Education[edit | edit source]
Murugashankari is an alumnus of Adarsh Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai and is a university rank holder in chemical engineering from Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering. She completed her Master of Fine Arts from Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts, Trichy. She has been awarded the junior research fellowship from UGC, India to pursue her PhD. She also holds a postgraduate diploma in business administration from Symbiosis, Pune.
Dance career[edit | edit source]
According to the Guru-Shishya Parampara, Murugashankari started learning Bharatanatyam at the age of 5 from the legendary dance teacher ‘Kalaimamani’ K.J.Sarasa. Later, she completed her Arangetram (debut performance) under the guidance of the illustrious teacher ‘Kalaimamani’ Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala. A chemical engineer by education, Murugashankari made the conscious decision of pursuing her passion and following her dreams of becoming a full-time artiste. She completed her Masters in Bharatanatyam from the Bharathidasan University and is now a research scholar.
Awards and credentials[edit | edit source]
- Graded artiste of Chennai Doordarshan[citation needed]
- "WORLD DANCE DAY PURASKAR" by Natraj Music and Dance academy, Member of International dance council UNESCO, Visakhapatnam.[citation needed]
- Was honoured with the title 'Naattiya Thilagam' in Selangor, Malaysia.[citation needed]
Theater actor[edit | edit source]
 | This section does not cite any sources. (April 2026) |
Murugashankari played the lead in Stage Image's latest Tamil Drama Neruppu Kolangal. This play was very well received in Chennai, with articles in the press commending the play and Murugashankari's acting in it. This play incorporates in it, the classical dance and a song both rendered by Murugashankari which is its unique attraction.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Striking it with poise". The Hindu. 7 May 2015.
- ↑ "A Visually Scintillating Performance". The New Indian Express.
- Rhythmic tribute to Swati Tirunal. Friday Review, The Hindu, Chennai
- Friday Review, The Hindu, Tiruchirapalli
- Pushpanjali - Murugashankari. Performance Glimpse
- A Sparkling Dance Festival Afternoon D&C, Mumbai
- Friday Review The Hindu, Andhra Pradesh, 3 Jan 2014
- TEDxSSN - L. Murugashankari. TedX Talk Video of Murugashankari
- Natya Kala Vipanchee' L.Murugashankari's Interview in Kalaignar TV. Interview of Murugashankari in Kalaignar Television
- Murugashankari featured in the News segment in Vasantham Television Singapore
- Murugashankari featured in the show 'Talam-Indian Beat' in Vasantham Television Singapore
- Review/Report of one of Murugashankari's recitals
- Murugashankari's performance review in Friday Review The Hindu, 25 July 2014.
- Murugashankari's performance review in Friday Review The Hindu, 7 May 2015.
- A Report about Tamizharasi Kuravanci by Murugashankari and her disciple (students of Kalai Koodam) Indian Express 12 May 2015.
- A Report about Tamizharasi Kuravanci by Murugashankari and her disciple (students of Kalai Koodam) The Hindu 15 May 2015.
- Interview p. 16 Archived 14 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- Interview on Woman's Day for Dinamalar.com, a leading Web TV of the popular daily newspaper of Tamil Nadu Dinamalar
- An article about L.Murugashankari's artitistic journey.
- An article about L.Murugashankari and team's performance at Shilparamam, Hyderabad.
- An article about L.Murugashankari and team's performance at Shilparamam, Hyderabad 8 Aug 2017.
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- Website featuring leading exponents of Bharatanatyam
- Dance like thyself Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine