Founder and Guru
Guru Smt. Chandralekha
Smt. Chandralekha Ratheesh is an accomplished Kuchipudi artiste, choreographer, teacher, and founder of Nrithyoham - Center for Indian Classical Dance, Chennai.
With over 25 years of dedicated training and performance experience and more than 15 years of teaching, she is committed to preserving and promoting the authentic traditions of Kuchipudi through the Guru-Shishya Parampara. She has trained more than a hundred students, many of whom have excelled at prestigious dance festivals, scholarship examinations, and national competitions.
A senior disciple of Kalaimamani Guru Sri. Madhavapeddi Murthy and Smt. Anupama Mohan, senior disciples of the legendary Padma Bhushan Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, Chandralekha has undergone rigorous training in the illustrious Vempati Chinna Satyam bani. She has also undergone extensive training in Bharathanatyam under Smt. Saraswathi Vijayan and Mohiniyattam under Smt. Sridevi Rajan. She has taken expert training from Dr. P. Ramadevi (Kuchipudi scholar and Professor at Silicon Andhra University, Hyderabad) in Natyashasthra and traditional Kuchipudi.
As a performer, Chandralekha has presented solo recitals and ensemble productions at renowned dance festivals, temples, and cultural institutions across India, including Mamallapuram Dance Festival, Koodalmanikyam Temple Festival, Kapaleeshwar Temple Navaratri Festival, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, India Habitat Centre, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, and prestigious festivals across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and New Delhi.
Her artistic excellence has been recognized with honours including the Government of India National Senior Scholarship for Kuchipudi, Doordarshan Graded Artiste, Narthana Gyanakeerthi, Natya Bharathi, Gopi Krishna National Award, Nritya Siromani, and Natya Kousthubham. She has also served as a judge for the Kerala State School Kalolsavam.
She founded Nrithyoham in 2013 with the vision of nurturing young dancers through authentic classical training rooted in discipline, artistry, and cultural values. Academically, Chandralekha holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication and is currently pursuing a Master of Performing Arts (MPA) in Kuchipudi, reflecting her commitment to lifelong learning and scholarly engagement with the art form.
Before pursuing dance as a full-time profession, Chandralekha built a successful career in the corporate world, working with leading organizations such as Aspire Systems (I) Pvt. Ltd. and Hewlett-Packard (HP). She later chose to follow her passion for dance, dedicating herself to teaching, performing, and nurturing the next generation of dancers.
