A journey shaped by devotion.
From Madurai to the world stage, a life dedicated to dance and the preservation of a living tradition.
The journey
Born near Madurai, Narthaki faced social exclusion and rejection. Her passion for dance led her to Shri K. P. Kittappa Pillai in Thanjavur, who accepted her as his disciple.
She trained in the Gurukula tradition and worked with her guru as an assistant at Tamil University in Thanjavur. The rare compositions and repertoire passed down to her remain at the heart of her practice.
Based in Chennai, she travels across India and internationally, preserving and sharing the tradition through performance, scholarship and teaching.
Her journey as a pioneering transgender artist has made her a role model for others facing exclusion. Through perseverance and artistic commitment, she continues to inspire new generations.
A guru. A lineage. A living legacy.
Shri K. P. Kittappa Pillai
K. P. Kittappa Pillai was a hereditary descendant of the Thanjavur Quartet: Chinnaiah, Ponniah, Sivanandam and Vadivel, whose contributions helped shape Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music.
Trained as a vocalist by his father, Sri Ponniah Pillai, and in dance under his maternal grandfather, Pandanallur Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, he became a renowned Nattuvanar.
His work preserved rare compositions and the repertoire of the Quartet. Narthaki carries forward this legacy through her practice and teaching.
A life’s work, honoured.
Awards, distinctions and public service.
- Padma Shri
- Government of India
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar Award
- Sangeet Natak Akademi
- Kalaimamani Award
- Government of Tamil Nadu
- Nrithya Kalanidhi Award
- The Madras Music Academy
- Honorary Doctorate
- Periyar Maniammai University, Thanjavur
- Empanelled Outstanding Dance Artist
- Indian Council for Cultural Relations
- Senior Fellowship
- Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India
- Vishwa Kala Bharathi
- Bharat Kalachar, Chennai
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
- Bharatanatya Kalanidhi Award
- Dharmapuram Aadheenam
- Member, Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission (2021–26)
- Nruthya Choodamani Award
- Sri Krishna Gana Sabha