Asha Gopal
Founder/Director – Arathi School of Dance
Felicitation – IWEForum
Kalashri Asha Gopal who is entering the “Guinness Book of World Records for record number of Arangrateams in the USA” by reaching grand milestone of 200th Arangratram in Indian Classical Bharata Natyam.
In the tutelage of Kalashri Asha Gopal, the school established in 1981 has reached a grand milestone of 200th Arangetram (student graduation) in Indian Classical Bharata Natya dance this year( 2016).
Kalashri Asha Gopal had her dance training under eminent teachers of the times: Guru Muthiah Pillai, Guru Kittappa Pillai and Professor U.S. Krishna Rao. She has performed widely in India, USA and other countries, and received many prestigious awards. To name a few: ‘Singar Mani’ title from Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai (1969), NRI Excellence award in London, England (1993), Karnataka Kalashri award from Sangeet Natak Academy (1999), and Citizen of the Year award from the Asian American Association of Arizona (2000).
Asha Gopal has won recognition in India, with heart-warming felicitations, from Sri Ragam Fine Arts Society (Balasaraswati dance award in New Delhi, 2005), Sri Raja Rajeshwari Kalaniketan, Bengaluru (Natya Saraswati award, 2008), 25-year Vasundharotsava, Mysore (2010), Drishti Art Foundation, Bengaluru (Drishti Nrityakala Puraskara, 2011), Sangeetha Sambrama, Bengaluru (Nirantharam Festival, 2012), and Shivapriya School of Dance, Bengaluru (2014).
