Mysuru: Saptathi, a grand celebration to commemorate danseuse Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy’s 70th birthday has been organised on Nov. 2 at Kalamandira at 5pm. The event jointly organised by Vasundhara Performing Art Centre and Guru Shishya Parampara Trust will be held in divine presence of Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji.

Noted Dance Scholar and Rajya Sabha MP Padma Vibhushan Dr. Sonal Mansingh, Vasundhara Performing Art Centre Director Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy, Art Journalist and Critic Prof. George S. Paul will be the guests of honour, while Indian Dance Scholar, Historian and Critic Padma Shri Sunil Kothari, Art Historian, Scholar and Critic Ashish Mohan Khobar and MP Pratap Simha will be the chief guests. 

The event will also witness the release of ‘Vasudhara Odyssey of a Dancer’, a biography of Dance Guru Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy authored by journalist Prof. George S. Paul. Saptathi, also features Bharatanatyam performance by Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy followed by a dance tribute by teachers and students of Vasundhara Performing Art Centre.

Addressing presspersons at Pathrakarthara Bhavan this morning, Meghala Hirasave, daughter-in-law of Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy said that the students of the Bharatanatyam exponent had organised year-long guruvandana programmes from Nov. 1, 2018 and added that a special four-day event will be held from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 as part of Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy’s birthday celebrations.

The celebrations commences with the inauguration of ‘Vasundhara Bhavan’ by Kalandika Arts Academy Director Premita Govind, who is also one of Dr. Vasundhara’s students. 

A special two-day workshop is also being conducted by Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy for about 100 students across the globe from Oct. 30. Dr. Vasundhara’s students, spanning three generations, will be paying respects to their guru through a day-long dance performances at Jagan Mohan Palace from 9 am to 7pm on Nov. 1. 

Speaking on the occasion, Poorna Kemparaja Urs, Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy’s International Students Forum Convenor, said Dr. Vasundhara’s students were spread across USA, Australia, Paris, UK and other countries as well. 

He added that his daughter also learnt Bharatanatyam from Dr. Vasundhara during her visit to Louisville in USA and said she was not only a guru to her students but a motherly figure as well. 

Vasudhanara Performing Arts Centre Trustee Sagar Hirasave, Dr. Vasundhara’s students Varija Nalige and Dr. Bhuvaneshwari were present.