Adyar K Lakshman

Adyar K Lakshman was an Indian Bharatanatyam dancer, Guru and, choreographer. He was born on 16th December 1933 in Kuppam in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh to Krishna Raja Rao. He was discovered, along with his brother Rama Rao at a very young age by the world-acclaimed fine arts college Kalashetra's Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale. At 11, Adyar Lakshman started learning vocal music, Bharatanatyam, Mridangam, and Nattuvangam. He had been associated with many great gurus in the field, such as Rukmini Devi Arundale, Mylapore Gowri Ammai, K.N. Dhandayuthapani Pillai, S Shardha, Tiger Varadachari, Budalur Krishnamurthy Sastrigal, TK Ramaswamy Iyengar, Mysore Vasudevacharya, Tanjore Rajagopala Iyer, V Vital, Kamala Rani, and Karaikudi Muthu Iyer.

In the year 1954, he graduated from Kalashetra in Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, and Nattuvangam. He then received a Government of India scholarship and received a post-graduate diploma in 1956. He then specialized in Mridangam. He also learned Kathakali under Ambu Panicker and Chandu Panicker. He has received many awards, including Padma Shri from the President of India in 1986 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Bharatanatyam in 1991 by Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National academy of music, dance, and drama.