Dr. Sriram Narainswamy

Dr. Sriram Narainswamy, the eldest grandson of Guru Shri  Mani is a Carnatic Vocalist, Sanskritist, Nattuvanar and a Bharatanatyam Choreographer. An avid reader, he started off with giving entrances for Chartered Accountancy and civil-services. However, his love for art made him discontinue his professional careers after a brief stint and take up Sanskrit as the main career in which he holds a doctorate from the University of Mumbai. Trained in music and dance under the eminent Gurus of Kalāsadan, he received advanced training in Sanskrit under stalwarts such as late. Prof. A R Kulkarni and Prof Dr.Gauri Mahulikar. In addition to being a research scholar, he is also a versifier in Sanskrit who has composed devotional lyrics such as the ‘Devi-pancaka’ and the ‘Navagraha-bhujanga’ to name a few. Apart from several dance-pieces such as Varnams, Sabdams etc in Sanskrit which have enriched the repertoire of Kalāsadan, his other works include musical plays such as ‘Uma-Pariṇayam’ , 'Śrī Śaṅkara-Digvijayam', 'Śrī Bhāgavata-Caritam' etc,  in Sanskrit which have gained several accolades from scholars, including the Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi,  Apart from teaching Bharatanatyam and carnatic music at the Navi Mumbai branches he is also serving as a visiting lecturer for Sanskrit at various educational institutions for post-graduate courses.  He is supported in his academic and cultural pursuits by his wife Shilpa Sriram. He is presently composing Maṇidarpaṇa, a Sanskrit primer on Bharatanāṭyam based on the views and the padegogy of his late grandfather Guru Shri Mani on the divine art-form.