Ipshita Rajesh

If culture be a beautiful woman, dance and music be her two eyes.

Ebullient, dedicated and spirited, Ipshita Rajesh is a pleasure to watch as she transforms from an energetic dancer, to a mischievous Krishna, to a scorned nayika, to a benevolent hero, and back again to the nritta performer, while exploring the varied nuances of Bharatanatyam.

A promising and upcoming talent, Ipshita was initiated into the art form of Bharatanatyam in 1994 at the age of six by Smt. Asha Sunil Kumar, disciple of Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai and a distinguished dancer herself. Under her auspices, Ipshita has grown to be a fine dancer.

For Ipshita, dance and culture are synonymous – she cannot envision one without the other. Art may be an imitation of life, but for her, life is an imitation of art. In 2003, at the age of 14, she performed her Arangetram to a packed auditorium, winning both praise and admirers for her versatility.

Not long after, she found herself performing at a wide variety of venues and festivals in Mumbai and beyond. Her start was traditional – she and her fellow students were invited to perform at a Navi Mumbai temple. But it was soon evident that the calibre they displayed was worthy of more sophisticated venues and audience. Festivals and programmes beckoned her in quick succession, which has enabled her to boast of a list of prestigious performances:

• Nritya Surabhi, organised by Nateshwar Nritya Kala Mandir at Mysore Association, Mumbai, 2004.

• Namami: A Concert to Acknowledge the Awesome Might of Nature and Celebrate the Undying Spirit of Man, a fund-raiser for Tsunami victims organised by Sanskriti Academy of Fine Arts, Mumbai, 2005.

• MeeRadha, a widely acclaimed dance ballet in collaboration with Chinmaya Swaranjali and Sanskriti Academy of Fine Arts, Mumbai, 2005–2006.

• Anubhuti, organised by Rasika Ranjani Sabha at Nritya Pratibha Dance Festival, Mumbai, 2006.

• Natyanjali Dance Festival organised by Shanmukhapriya at Tiruchembur Murugan Temple, Mumbai, 2006.

• Margam, organised by Navi Mumbai Tamil Sangam on Independence Day, Navi Mumbai, 2011.

• Navartri Cultural Festival organised by Ahobila Mutt, Mumbai, 2011.

In pursuit of excellence, Ipshita completed her BCom in 2010 following which she enrolled for a BFA in Bharatanatyam at SASTRA University, Thanjavur. She is currently in her second year, under the supervision of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. To increase her sensitivity and broaden her understanding of India’s vibrant culture and art, she is also training in Mohiniattam, abhinaya, and performance techniques under Smt. Mandakini Trivedi. Additionally, she is a faculty member at Sanskriti Academy of Fine Arts, Mumbai, assisting her own Guru in the teaching of Bharatanatyam. This is a role she particularly enjoys as it gives her the opportunity to interact with children and choreograph dances for the Academy’s various programmes.

Ipshita believes that an education in dance is never complete and although she aspires to be renowned as a solo dancer some day, she would also like to be recognised as a dance educator who not only teaches but learns from young artists as well.