SVĀDHYĀYA 2026, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, and NMDC (National Mineral Development Corporation) features serious practitioners of the art, from Bengaluru, Guwahati and Chennai. The festival opens with Mohiniattam of Kerala by Bengaluru-based artiste Vidushi Anju Peter. This is followed by Sattriya classical dance from Assam presented by Vidushi Anwesa Mahanta coming all the way from Guwahati, Assam.
The evening concludes with Kuchipudi dance form from Andhra Pradesh. Renowned Chennai-based Kuchipudi gurus Guru Sri Jaikishore Mosalikanti and Dr. Padmavani Mosalikanti along with their disciples Abhinav Ashok, Lekshmi Raghunath, Sathwika Reddy,vSri Sammohana Mosalikanti, Ala Venugopal, and Jahnavi Chamarthi will present Triyambaam, a dance recital delineating the powerful three aspects of the Sacred Feminine – Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga.
SVĀDHYĀYA is scheduled to take place on the 21st of March 2026, at Seva Sadan, Malleswaram from 5:30 PM onwards. Entry is free for all.
About the Founders
Srividya Angara is a distinguished Kuchipudi dancer with over three decades of dedication to the art form. A Gold Medalist in Master of Performing Arts (Kuchipudi) from the University of Hyderabad and a B.Tech graduate in Computer Science, she transitioned from a successful career in the software industry to pursue dance as her primary path. A graded artiste of Doordarshan and an empanelled artiste with SPICMACAY, she is currently under the guidance of renowned guru Jaikishore Mosalikanti. Srividya has performed widely and is also an accomplished choreographer. She serves as Guest Faculty at IIT Hyderabad and a GKF Visiting Fellow at IIT Kharagpur, and has been recognized as a “Pathbreaker” Youth Icon and a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award (2022) from VNR VJIET.
Shubha Nagarajan has been training in Odissi for over 15 years with various eminent Gurus in Bangalore. She is a graded artiste with Doordarshan and has performed at various prestigious dance festivals across the country as both an ensemble member and as a soloist. She has toured the USA along with Kuchipudi artiste and co-founder of Citsabha Collective, Smt. Srividya Angara Sinha as part of a jugalbandi collaboration called SAMAAGATI. Keen to promote classical dance, she works with various dance enthusiasts in the city to organize community studio showings, workshops, and herself conducts lecture demonstrations and performances at Government schools and gated communities as part of these efforts.
Artists
Sattriya classical dance
Vid. Anwesa Mahanta
- A leading exponent of Sattriya Dance, Dr. Anwesa Mahanta is a senior disciple of Padmashri & Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Bayanacharya Ghanakanta Bora, rooted in the ritualistic traditions of Saudkuchi Sattra, Sivasagar.
- An acclaimed solo performer since 2001, she is celebrated for her graceful technique, expressive abhinaya, and philosophically rich choreographic works such as Shoonya: Aakar to Nirakar, Paramachitra, and Krishnamrit.
- An ICCR-empanelled artist, she has presented premium concerts across Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania, promoting Sattriya on global platforms.
- Recipient of prestigious honours including Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Samman, Aditya Vikram Birla Kalakiran Award, and YFLO FICCI Women Achievers’ Award.
- A noted scholar and cultural researcher, she has received fellowships from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Ministry of Culture, and British Council, leads Kalpa as Artistic Director, and currently serves as a Visiting Fellow at Gauhati University.
Mohiniattam classical dance
Vid. Anju Peter
- Trained in Mohiniyattam under Guru Nirmala Paniker at Natanakaisiki Mohiniyatta Gurukulam, Natanakairali; Doordarshan-graded artiste and empaneled with SPICMACAY.
- Secured First Rank and Gold Medal in MPA from REVA University; qualified UGC NET in Performing Arts (Dance).
- Assistant Professor at the School of Performing Arts and Indic Studies, REVA University; pursuing PhD in Dance from University of Mysore.
- Founder of Nrityankanam, a dance school dedicated to the promotion and propagation of Mohiniyattam.
- Trained Carnatic vocalist and B.E. graduate from University of Madras; formerly worked as a software engineer before dedicating herself fully to Mohiniyattam.
Odissi – Kuchipudi | Jugalbandi
Guru Sri Jaikishore Mosalikanti & Dr. Padmavani Mosalikanti
SHIVAMOHANAM ensemble
Guru Sri Jaikishore Mosalikanti and Dr. Padmavani Mosalikanti are eminent Kuchipudi artistes who need no introduction. While each is a compelling solo performer, they are especially celebrated for their remarkable chemistry and synergy as a dancing duo.
Together, they founded Shivamohanam, an institution envisioned as far more than a space for dance instruction. Their mission is to nurture complete artistes, individuals who can dedicate their talents meaningfully to society. For them, dance is not merely physical movement; it is a holistic discipline that shapes values, ethos, morality, and self-discipline. With equal emphasis on music, literature, and yoga, students are guided toward artistic excellence while also cultivating spiritual depth and nobility of character.
Since its inception, Shivamohanam has grown steadily, with many students presenting their solo debut performances and establishing themselves within the artistic community. Through their dedicated work, Gurus Dr. Padmavani and Sri Jaikishore continue to groom the next generation of Kuchipudi dancers, preserving the legacy and foundational teachings of legendary Kuchipudi guru Padmabhushan Sri Vempati Chinna Satyam and keeping the roots of the Kuchipudi tradition vibrant and alive.
FELICITATION
We are also honored to be felicitating Guru Jaikishore and Dr. Padmavani Mosalikanti for their continued contribution to the realm of Kuchipudi and classical dance as part of the evening’s flow.
