Dr. Karuna VijayendraDean
Division of Yoga and Humanities

Dr. Karuna Vijayendra is an acclaimed dance historian and researcher with over 28 years of experience. Renowned as the youngest Dance Historian during her early career, she has authored seven publications and over 90 research articles in English and Kannada. Her pioneering work includes decoding ancient and medieval Indian dance techniques such as the Mahaanata early form of dancing shiva from Badami, ‘Kumbha Nritya’ of Vedic tradition, ‘Mandala Nritya’, ‘Perani Paddhati’, and the ‘Gaundali Vidhi’ of the Hoysala dynasty, among others.She has worked as a domain expert and as technical editor for the book, ‘Neo Desi Karanas a sequential link’, decoding 800-year-old Karnataka desi dance tradition along with her Guru Vidushi Late, Smt.Sundari Santanam.

Her stage productions - the revisualisation of Karnataka’s forgotten temple dance traditions, particularly ‘Vicitra Chitra Nartana’, a dance tradition performed by Hoysala queen Shantaladevi, have been widely celebrated. Ranga Vaibhoga a documentary based on her Ph.D. thesis, directed by Sri Suneel Puranik, received the National (two Rajata Kamal) Award for its contribution to art and culture.

She has served as a research fellow and project associate at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and has held numerous honorary positions, including as a member of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Censor Board and a jury member for national-level dance and film festivals. & Prasar Bharati -DDChandana dance Audition. She is Chair, HOD department of Bharatnatyam, Arya University, Milpitas, California, USA.

As a visiting faculty member for prestigious universities, she has inspired students globally with her expertise in dance history, temple traditions, aesthetics, and sculptural studies. Passionate about bridging theory and practice, she continues to mentor scholars, conduct heritage tours, and deliver lectures, fostering appreciation for India’s rich cultural legacy. She believes in the philosophy of Nṛtyō Rakshati Rakshitāḥ - “Dance protects those who protect it.”

Dr. Ramya C.R.

Dr. Ramya C.R. is a distinguished musician, dancer, and researcher with over 25 years of experience in Bharatanatya and Karnataka Sangita. She holds a Ph.D. from Annamalai University and has authored Sushodha and Hejjegondu Gejjepada. A prolific composer of 600+ songs, she has directed acclaimed dance dramas and published research in music and dance. She has performed internationally, collaborated as a vocalist and nattuvanar promoting Karnataka’s cultural heritage through her art, and served on the jury of Zee Kannada’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa,

She has contributed to major research-based projects of Dr. Karuna Vijayendra, including A Conceptual music reconstruction of Asaritha vardhamanaka for Mahanata and Conceptual reconstruction of Prabandha, a medieval period Dance music from Sangita ratnakara to Vichitra Chitra Nartana. As a music resource person for the Digital Hampi Project (NID, Bengaluru), her work was featured in the final showcase at the National Museum, Delhi.

She has received over 30 prestigious awards, including the Hassan District Rajyotsava Award and Aryabhata Award, and continues to inspire through her contributions to the performing arts.