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Ganga Thampi Ganga Thampi was raised in an atmosphere surcharged with classical dance and music. From the age of 10, she started learning Kathakali from her father Shri Madavoor Vasudevan Nair, the senior most Kathakali Maestro who won the Kendra Sangeetha Natak Academy Award of 1977. After completing her pre-university course in Kerala, she joined the Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai for her diploma course in Bharathanatyam. During her six-year stint at Kalakshetra, she completed her BA and MA in English Literature from Madras University through a correspondence course. At Kalakshetra, she got the golden opportunity to be under the guidance of the famous guru Sharada Hoffman for 4 years and under the guidance of Kalaimamani Krishnaveni Lakshmanan for 2 years. After her postgraduate diploma course, she continued in Kalakshetra as a guest artist and in 1996 joined the Kalakshetra Foundation as a lecturer in Bharathanatyam. As a dancer, she has played major roles in many of the Kalakshetra Dance Dramas like Sita in "Ramayanam", Saraswathi Bhai in "Purandara Dasa", Parvathi in "Siva Geethi Mala", Madanavalli in "Krishnamari Kuravanchi", Radha in "Geetha Govindam" etc. She has extensively toured the west and many parts of India with the Kalakshetra troupe. She has represented Indian Art and Culture by performing in South Africa in Bharathotsav 1996. Ganga has also performed at the annual dance festivals of many prominent organizations like the Natyanjali Trust, Nrityanjali Trust, Music Academy, Natya Arangam and Sopanam to name a few. Ganga has participated as a judge in the Kerala State Youth Festival 1998 that is considered as Asia's biggest Art Festival. The Madras Music Academy has awarded the MGR Award to Ganga in 1996. Ganga is working as the Chennai correpondent for "Kaladarpanam" Magazine, and has recently been nominated as Member of Board of Studies in Dance by the Sree Sankara University of Sanskrit (Kalady, Kerala). Ganga has choreographed a Dance poem "Chintavishtayaya Sita" based on a poem written by the great Malayalam poet Shri Kumaran Asan. Ganga who is fluent in English, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam enjoys music and reading.

REVIEWS Brisk Nritta and uncommonly bright abhinaya, over and above a graceful lithe figure distinguished Ganga Thampi's Bharathanatyam recital under the Natyanjali Trust - Indian Express (1996). Ganga is natural with Abhinaya. She is endowed with a pair of highly expressive eyes. A mark of Kalakshetra is evident in her nritta ...Ganga has an excellent stage presence - Indian Express (1997). Dancer Ganga made a convincing heroine Madanavalli ... is mimed with great feeling - The Hindu (1995). Dancer Ganga Thampi breaks into top league ... - Adyar Times (1998). The role of Kamakshi was performed by Ganga with a lovely tenderness - Aside (1995). Ganga's portrayal of Purandara's wife was appending with good angasuddha and graceful presentation. The Thulasi Pooja performed by her was charming - Spectrum (1995).

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