A teaching career spanning over 50 years and a humungous student database — that is what Girija Chandran holds close to her heart. Girija Teacher, to the classical dance community of Thiruvananthapuram, is days away from receiving the Sangeeth Natak Akademi Award 2025 for her contributions in Mohiniyattam, and the veteran guru is ecstatic.

“I am proud about keeping myself busy at 75,” says Girija, when we meet at her dance school, Regatta Natya Sangeetha Kendra, which will turn 54 this December.

“I have never applied for any award. But this time I had to succumb to the pressure of my well-wishers, students and family. I was told that it was the procedure and I needn’t feel embarrassed about it,” she says.

She adds that the award is special on many accounts. “One is that, 66 years ago my grandfather’s brother CI Parameswaran Pillai had received this award for drama.” She adds, “I am grateful to the Ministry of Culture, Sandhya Purecha, chairman of the Akademi, and Raju Das, secretary, for this recognition.”

For those unfamiliar with her journey, it might sound strange that she has never performed on stage. The first and last time she was on stage as a classical dancer was for her arangettam (dance debut), when she was seven. “My conservative family was not appreciative of girls/women performing on stage. I was part of group performances while pursuing my studies at Government College for Women and later at our alumni meet. Other than that I have not done a solo performance. But they always encouraged me to learn as much I could.”

After initial training in Thiruvananthapuram from gurus such as Kalakshetra Bhaskar, Indira Bayi Thankachi and Sucheendram MM Pillai, she moved to Chennai in 1976 with her sister, Geetha. There she learnt Bharatanatyam from Vazhuvoor Ramayya Pillai for three years and later from Adyar K Lakshman, a prominent name in Kalakshetra style. She also used to accompany her sister to Kuchipudi classes at Vempati Chinna Satyam’s academy. “Although I didn’t learn Kuchipudi, I sat in the class watching her learn. Meanwhile, whenever I came home during breaks, I would teach at Regatta.”

It was around this time [1972] that her father R Sivasankara Pillai, who had a typewriting institute, started Regatta Cultural Society. It trained women in various trades, besides running a nursery school and conducting classes in music and dance. Girija used to teach non-classical and folk dance there. As years passed by, except for dance, all classes got discontinued.

Another huge influence on her have been the Dhananjayans. “They have always been around to help and encourage me. I am their only student who is not a performer!” She also recalls the guidance of veteran Bharatanatyam guru, Kalakshetra NS Jayalakshmi.

Girija stresses that she never had the inclination to perform. “Back then I used to think that a good dancer has to look beautiful and I was not. While I ensured that Geetha performed every where I was never motivated to perform. At the same time I wanted to create performers. I knew I had it in me to be a good teacher,” she says.

She mentions that there are many accomplished nattuvanars (traditional dance teacher) who have never performed on stage. Even the Sangeeth Natak Akademi has honoured many such artistes, she adds.

Girija is pleased that she is receiving the award for her contributions to Mohiniyattam, even though she had started out by teaching Bharatanatyam. “Initially I was not very interested in Mohiniyattam. It was when I kept getting enquiries for Mohiniyattam classes that I appointed two alumni of Kerala Kalamandalam to teach the dance form in 1986. And I learnt from them. Since then I have been hooked to the dance form.”

The turning point was attending a workshop led by Mohiniyattam exponent Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma. “That was when I realised the depth of the dance form. Guidance and help also came from veteran Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboothiri who handled Kathakali classes at Regatta. He was the go-to person for me to learn more about mudras and understand nuances of Mohiniyattam. I would always seek his approval before staging any Mohiniyattam production,” she says, adding that Regatta has over 50 Mohiniyattam productions to its credit. Bharathi Sivaji was also an inspiration, she adds.

Choreography has been the biggest strength of Girija as a guru, something she is immensely proud about. Among them are several productions for Soorya.

Regatta now has over 500 students learning Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, folk dance (only minor girls) and Kathakali at its various branches. “I might have taught nearly one lakh students; some of them have gone on to become accomplished dancers,” she says referring to names such as Methil Devika, Sithara Balakrishnan, and Sreelakshmy.

Girija also takes pride in the fact that Regatta was among the first institutions in the capital city to start classes for married women, homemakers and elderly women. “The batch called Grihanayika has 80 students now and the oldest is aged 76!”

She has also been teaching tribal children of Kottur, a forest area on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. Girija teacher adds that most of the teachers of Regatta have been her students, including those from financially backward families who were given free training at the institute.

She makes special note of the support of her husband, Chandrasekharan Nair and daughter, Madhavi Chandran, an accomplished Mohiniyattam dancer herself, who is always around to teach and manage the running of Regatta.

A published author as well (Bharathanatya Chinthamani, Malayalam translation of Abhinaya Darpanam and Madhaviyude Arangettam), she is planning to document her personal journey, focussing on whatever she has learnt.

Girija Chandran will receive the award from the President of India in New Delhi on August 13.

Published - August 05, 2026 10:05 am IST