Dr. Himaja is the Disciple of Kalaimamani Dr. Uma Anand (Dandayuthapani), the well known Bharathanatya exponent. Dr .Himaja had her Arangetram in Jan 1983 after 7 years of training from Smt.Sudharani Raghupathy. The Arangetram was followed by a number of performances under the auspices of renowned Sabhas and institutions in Chennai and Various towns of Tamilnadu and Andhrapradesh like Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Pondicherry, Nellore and Gudur totaling to more than 100 solo Performances. She has also participated in many Dance festivals. Her programmes have been telecast in the National programme for Music and Dance by the Delhi Doordarshan and also by the Bombay Doordarshan and Madras Doordarshan. The audience response for these performances have been extremely appreciative.
She has been honoured by Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha with the title “Vani Kala Nipuna” for the year 2017.
The title of ‘Nritya Kalaivani’ by Nrityanjali Trust, Chennai during the Vijayadasami Dance Festival conducted at the Varasiddhi Vinayakar Temple , Chennai in October 2002.
She was one of the members of Bharathanatyam troupe to visit Maldives Islands to give performance as part of Jawharlal Nehru Centenary Celebrations.
Has been awarded the scholarship by ‘Ministry of Human Resource Development’ New Delhi in Bharathanatyam for two years
Was sponsored by the Iyal Isai Nataka Manram under their Talent Promotion Scheme.
Was adjudged the Best Dancer ( Bharathanatyam) of Stella Maris College, Chennai for 3 consecutive years.
Was adjudged the best Dancer in the Annual Competition conducted by Tamil Isai Sangam , Chennai in Nov 1988.
The title of ‘Bharatha Kala Valli’ by Bharathi Tamil Sangam of Calcutta on 5th Jan 1985.
The title of ‘Bharatha Natya Choodamani’ by the Natyanjali Committee of Chidambaram Nataraja Temple on 18th Nov 1984.
She has been running the Dance school ‘Bharatham’ from the year 1996 and training many young and upcoming students. Bharatham has been affiliated to The Tamilnadu Music and fine Arts University to run their Certificate courses in vocal , violin and Bharathanatyam. Her students have performed in various Dance festivals in Chennai and TV Channels. Her students are receiving the Scholarship awarded by Centre for cultural Resources and Training . All her students who have been to the audition have been selected to perform by the VDS Arts Academy, Chennai under their Talent Revealing Opportunity Programme and the reviews have been very encouraging and some of them have won the appreciation awards. The programmes of her students have been reviewed by critics in The Indian Express and The Hindu.
The students of Bharatham had presented a Dance Drama on the Theme “Shivalinga dharisanam” at the Natyanjali Festival , Chidambaram in February 2004.
The Dance Ballet “ Eashwara Dharisanam” staged by the young students of Bharatham has been received with extreme appreciation in and outside Chennai from the press and audience. The second Dance Ballet production “Shakthi Prabhaavam” has been staged in the dance Festival 2008-09 under the auspices of prestigious Sabhas in Chennai has also been received extremely well. The third production “Paranthaama Vaibhavam” has been telecast live from Tirupati in the nadaneeranjanam Programme in SVBC Channel.
Her latest production is a comedy dance musical Thuru Thuru Tenali Raman.
She has been interviewed by AIR FM Rainbow, Jaya TV Kalai Malar about her new and innovative Dance Productions.
She was the judge for one of the episodes of Tha ka di mi Tha – Bharathanatyam programme in Jaya TV.
She is the lesson writer for Annamalai University for the B dance course for their distance learning Centre in Canada.
She holds a Masters degree in dance from Annamalai University. She has received her doctorate from Madurai Kamaraj University.
She is a Lecturer for Bharatanatyam at Thamizh Isai Kalloori. She is the Joint Secretary of Prayathnam – a Forum of Dance Teachers.
Dr. Himaja is an MBA from Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning , Pune, specialized in Marketing and runs a Human Resource Consultancy
