Padmashree Chitra Vishweswaran

Padmashree Chitra Vishweswaran is a leading bharatanatyam dancer, competent performer, teacher and choreographer. She started studying dance at the age of 3 from her mother Smt. Rukmini Padmanabhan and performed her first dance at the age of eleven. In 1970, Chitra received the National Scholarship for advanced study in bharatnatyam from the Ministry of Human Resources Development and went for training under the Vazhuvoor Ramaiyya Pillai. Chitra has performed in most of the major dance festivals in India and abroad. Her dance and lecture-demonstrations have been documented for reference by various institutions. She produced several dance dramas such as Devi Ashta Rasa Malika, Panchali, Raghuvamsa Thilakam, Ayothi Mannan, Dwarakanatham Bhaje, Dasavatharam, and Nritya Srinkhala which were highly appreciated.

Chitra won many credits and awards such as the Rabindranath Tagore Chair of Fine Arts in the University of Madras, member of the General Council and Executive Board of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, Niritya Choodamani, Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padmashree, Mahila Shiromani, and Sthree Ratnam.