View source for Kalakshetra Foundation

{{Short description|Art school in Besant Nagar, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Kalakshetra Foundation
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| image = [[File:Kalakshetra logo.jpg|140x]]
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| city = [[Besant Nagar]], Chennai, India
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| coordinates = {{coord|12.9881|80.26500|display=inline,title}}
| founder = [[Rukmini Devi Arundale]]
| president = 
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| head_label = Chairman
| head = 
| chairman = [[S. Ramadorai]]<ref>{{cite web | title = Ex-CEC Gopalaswami new chairman of Kalakshetra Foundation |work= The Hindu | url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/kalakshetra-gets-a-new-chairman/article6527037.ece |date=22 October 2014| access-date = 2016-03-30 
 }}
</ref>
| principal = 
| director = Suresh Kumar Chikkala
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| established = {{start date and age|January 1936}}
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| homepage = {{URL|http://www.kalakshetra.in/}}
}}

'''Kalakshetra Foundation''', formerly simply '''Kalakshetra''',<ref>{{cite web|title=About Kalakshetra / History|url=http://www.kalakshetra.in/site/history/|publisher=Kalakshetra Foundation|access-date=15 July 2017}}</ref> is an arts and cultural academy dedicated to the preservation of traditional values in [[Indian art]] and crafts, especially in the field of [[Bharatanatyam]] dance and [[Gandharvaveda]] music. Based in [[Chennai]], India, the academy was founded in January 1936 by [[Rukmini Devi Arundale]] and her husband [[George Arundale]]. Under Arundale's guidance, the institution achieved national and international recognition for its unique style and perfectionism. In 1962, Kalakshetra moved to a new 40-hectare campus in [[Besant Nagar]], Chennai.<ref>{{Citation
 | title = Kalashethra
 | url = http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/india/chennai/28585/kalakshetra/nightlife-detail.html
 | access-date = 2011-12-03
 | work=The New York Times
}}</ref>

In January 1994, an Act of the [[Parliament of India]] recognised the Kalakshetra Foundation as an "[[Institute of National Importance]]."<ref>[http://www.kalakshetra.in/act.pdf Kalakshetra Foundation Act 1993] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215102340/http://www.kalakshetra.in/act.pdf |date=2010-02-15 }}, Ministry of Law And Justice.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chennaibest.com/discoverchennai/personalities/dance1.asp|title=chennaibest.com|access-date=26 December 2007|archive-date=2 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102112514/http://www.chennaibest.com/discoverchennai/personalities/dance1.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> The current Chairman of Kalakshetra is S. Ramadorai<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chairman – Kalakshetra Foundation|url=https://www.kalakshetra.in/newsite/about-us/admin-structure/chairman/|access-date=2021-05-19|language=en-US}}</ref> and the current director is Revathi Ramachandran.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Director – Kalakshetra Foundation|url=https://www.kalakshetra.in/newsite/about-us/admin-structure/director/|access-date=2021-05-19|language=en-US}}</ref>

== History==
{{Main|Rukmini Devi Arundale}}

[[File:Rukmini Devi.jpg|right|thumb|Rukmini Devi Arundale, founder of Kalakshetra]]
[[File:Secretary Clinton Visits a Music Classroom.jpg|thumb|left|A music classroom at Kalakshetra]]
Kalakshetra, later known as the Kalakshetra Foundation, was established by [[Rukmini Devi Arundale]], along with her husband, [[George Arundale]], a well-known [[theosophist]], in [[Adyar (Chennai)|Adyar]], Chennai, in 1936. She invited not only the best students but also noted teachers, musicians and artists to be a part of this institution.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tamilnation.org/hundredtamils/arundale.htm |title=Early years of Kalakshetra |website=tamilnation.org}}</ref> In 1944, the [[University of Madras]] granted its affiliation for conducting diploma courses in Music, Dance and Painting & Crafts.

Year-long celebrations, including lectures, seminars and festivals marked her 100th birth anniversary, on 29 February 2004, at Kalakshetra and elsewhere in many parts of the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=Another centenary celebration |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/27/stories/2003012700070300.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=27 January 2003 |access-date=6 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216084110/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/27/stories/2003012700070300.htm |archive-date=16 December 2008 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Also on 29 February, a photo exhibition on her life opened at the Lalit Kala Gallery in New Delhi, and President [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] released a photo-biography, written and compiled by [[Sunil Kothari]], with a foreword by former president [[Ramaswamy Venkataraman]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Her spirit still reigns |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2004/02/22/stories/2004022200380500.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103085459/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2004/02/22/stories/2004022200380500.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=3 January 2013 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=22 February 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Time to celebrate|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/27/stories/2003022700330100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040829172954/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/27/stories/2003022700330100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 August 2004 |work= [[The Hindu]]|date= 27 February 2003}}</ref><ref>[http://narthaki.com/info/reviews/rev158.html Centenary celebrations] nartaki.com</ref> In 2016, marking its 80th year, the Kalakshetra Foundation held a 'Remembering Rukmini Devi' festival of music and dance.<ref>{{cite web | title = Kalakshetra celebrates its 80th year |work= The Hindu | url = http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/kalakshetra-celebrates-its-80th-year/article8280926.ece | access-date = 2016-03-30 |date=25 February 2016| first = Radhika | last = Santhanam  }}</ref>

==Kalakshetra style==
Having studied the [[Pandanallur style]] for three years, in 1936 [[Rukmini Devi Arundale]] started working on developing her own, Kalakshetra, style of [[Bharatanatyam]]. She introduced group performances and staged various Bharatanatyam-based ballets.
[[File:Secretary Clinton, Leela Samson, and Ambassador Burleigh Enjoy a Bharat Natyam Performance (2).jpg|thumb|left|Bharatanatyam performance at Kalakshetra, during visit of [[Hillary Clinton]], 2011]]
The Kalakshetra style is noted for its angular, straight, ballet-like kinesthetics, and its avoidance of [[Recaka]]s and of the uninhibited throw (Ksepa) of the limbs.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

According to Sankara Menon (1907–2007), who was her associate from Kalakshetra's beginnings,<ref>{{cite news |title=Guru who inspired love (Sankara Menon's centenary at Kalakshetra) |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/09/28/stories/2007092850930100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105072622/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/09/28/stories/2007092850930100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 November 2007 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> Rukmini Devi raised Bharatanatyam to a puritan art form, divorced from its recently controversial past by "removing objectionable elements" (mostly, the ''[[Sringara]]'', certain emotional elements evocative of the erotic, such as hip, neck, lip and chest movements) from the [[Pandanallur style]], which was publicly criticized by Indian dancer [[Balasaraswati|Tanjore Balasaraswati]] (1918–1984) and other representatives of [[Tamil Nadu]]'s traditional Isai Velalar culture. Love outside parameters considered "chaste" was not to be portrayed. Balasaraswati said that "the effort to purify Bharatanatyam through the introduction of novel ideas is like putting a gloss on burnished gold or painting the lotus". Lawyer and classical artist [[E. Krishna Iyer]] (1897–1968) said about Rukmini Devi, "There is no need to say that before she entered the field, the art was dead and gone or that it saw a renaissance only when she started to dance or that she created anything new that was not there before".

==Controversy==
In December 2022, allegations of sexual abuse in the campus began to surface after former director [[Leela Samson]] wrote a social media post accusing a teacher of harassing and molesting students, but hadn't specified the name of the teacher. In the following months, over a hundred students of Kalakshetra Foundation's Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts accused senior faculty member, Hari Padman, of sexual harassment. The accusations spanned a number of years. Padman was exonerated following an internal investigation, and Kalakshetra Foundation issued a gag order preventing students and staff from discussing the allegations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theprint.in/features/kalakshetra-chennai-has-a-posh-problem-students-fume-gag-order-imposed-art-world-shaken/|title=Kalakshetra Chennai has a PoSH problem. Students fume, gag order imposed, art world shaken|date=2023-03-21|work=The Print|access-date=2023-03-22}}</ref> On 21 March 2023, the [[National Commission for Women]] began investigating the allegations,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theprint.in/india/ncw-seeks-action-from-tamil-nadu-dgp-against-kalakshetra-teacher-facing-sexual-harassment-charge/1464299/|title=NCW seeks action from Tamil Nadu DGP against Kalakshetra teacher facing sexual harassment charge|date=2023-03-22|work=The Print|access-date=2023-03-22}}</ref> but closed the investigation shortly, after a victim denied any sexual harassment during an enquiry.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kalakshetra-harassment-row-ncw-chairperson-visits-campus-enquires-about-allegations-175243 |title=Kalakshetra harassment row: NCW chairperson visits campus, enquires about allegations |date=29 March 2023 |work=The News Minute}}</ref> On 30 March, the students began protests against the inaction of the Kalakshetra authorities, by walking out of a routine morning prayer when Padman walked in.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/chennai-s-kalakshetra-students-protest-call-end-harassment-campus-175268 |title=Chennai's Kalakshetra students protest, call for end to harassment in the campus |work=The News Minute |date=30 March 2023}}</ref> The protests prompted a response from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister [[M. K. Stalin]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tn-cm-stalin-assures-of-action-against-those-involved-in-sexual-harassment-of-kalakshetra-students/article66683139.ece |title=Tamil Nadu CM Stalin assures of action against those involved in sexual harassment of Kalakshetra students
 |work=The Hindu |date=31 March 2023}}</ref> after which an [[First information report|FIR]] was registered against Padman by the Tamil Nadu police. The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women also launched an investigation and received over 90 written complaints regarding various issues faced by the students of the foundation. Padman was arrested by the Tamil Nadu police on 3 April 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/sexual-harassment-case-kalakshetra-assistant-professor-hari-padman-arrested-in-chennai/articleshow/99200532.cms?from=mdr |title=Sexual harassment case: Kalakshetra assistant professor Hari Padman arrested in Chennai |work=The Times of India |date=3 April 2023}}</ref> In response, Padman's wife Divya Hari Padman filed a counter complaint against the victim and two teachers working in the institute.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kalakshetra-sexual-harassment-case-assistant-professor-hari-padman-wife-files-counter-complaint-2356318-2023-04-06 |title=Kalakshetra sexual harassment case: Accused Hari Padman's wife files counter complaint |work=India Today |date=6 April 2023}}</ref> Amidst the sexual harassment allegations, students also raised complaints about mismanagement by the foundation director Revathi Ramachandran, referring to the coverup of a food poisoning outbreak in November 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kalakshetra-director-covered-food-poisoning-outbreak-middle-pandemic-175560 |title=Kalakshetra director covered up a food poisoning outbreak in the middle of the pandemic |work=The News Minute |date=6 April 2023}}</ref>

==Institutes==
[[File:Kalakshetra Academy Office.jpg|thumb|200px|Office of ''Kalakshetra Academy'' at [[Besant Nagar]]]]
* Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts<ref>{{cite news |title=Kalakshetra lauded for signal contribution to fine arts  |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/22/stories/2007122260111200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223220654/http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/22/stories/2007122260111200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 December 2007 |work=[[The Hindu]]  |date=22 December 2007 }}</ref>
* Rukmini Devi Museum
* Koothambalam (Kalakshetra theatre)
* Craft Education and Research Centre (including the weaving department, the Kalamkari natural dye printing and the painting unit)

==Notable alumni==
{{alumni|date=February 2018}}
Notable alumni include [[Radha Burnier]]<u><ref>{{Cite web |title=RADHA S. BURNIER (1923 - 2013) {{!}} TS Adyar |url=https://www.ts-adyar.org/radha-s-burnier-1923-2013 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=www.ts-adyar.org}}</ref></u>, [[Amala Akkineni]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amala Akkineni – Confederation of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises & Connecting people to business |url=https://cimsme.in/speaker/amala-akkineni/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay]], [[Sanjukta Panigrahi]], [[C.V. Chandrasekhar]], [[Dhananjayans]], [[Adyar K. Lakshman]], [[Jayashree Narayanan]], [[Kalakshetra Vilasini]], [[Leela Samson]],<ref>[http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1993/11/1993-11-02.shtml Noted students of Kalakshetra],{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312002731/http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1993/11/1993-11-02.shtml |date=2008-03-12 }}</ref> [[Satyavati Motiram Sirsat]], [[Jaya Thyagarajan]], [[Devoleena Bhattacharjee]], and [[Ananda Shankar Jayant]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anandashankarjayant.com |title=Welcome |publisher=Anandashankarjayant.com |access-date=2012-08-03}}</ref>

==References==
{{Portal|India|Education|Art}}
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Fredericks, Leo: ''Poet in Kalakshetra''. Madras 1977
* Kalakshetra Foundation (Hrsg.): Kalakshetra Brochure
* Nachiappan, C.: ''Rukmini Devi, Bharata Natya''. Kalakshetra Publications, Chennai 2003
* Nachiappan, C.: ''Rukmini Devi, Dance Drama''. Kalakshetra Publications, Chennai 2003
* Ramani, Shakuntala: ''Sari, the Kalakshetra tradition''. Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai 2002
* Sarada, S.: ''Kalakshetra-Rukmini Devi, reminiscences''. Kala Mandir Trust, Madras 1985

==External links==
{{commons category|Kalakshetra}}
* [https://www.kalakshetra.in/ Kalakshetra official website]

{{Chennai Topics}}
{{Education in Tamil Nadu}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Arts in Chennai]]
[[Category:Cultural centres in Chennai]]
[[Category:Dance schools in India]]
[[Category:Arts organizations established in 1936]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Carnatic music]]
[[Category:Ministry of Culture (India)]]
[[Category:Art schools in India]]
[[Category:Music schools in India]]
[[Category:Academic institutions formerly affiliated with the University of Madras]]
[[Category:1936 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Bharatanatyam]]
[[Category:Bharatanatyam styles]]
[[Category:Bharatanatyam dance schools]]