Ranjani Murthy

Artist Biography

A resident of Knoxville, Tennessee in Knox County, Ranjani Murthy is not only a spellbinding performer of the Classical Indian dances of Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi, but also the youngest Folk and Traditional Arts Master Artist Fellow at the age of twenty-seven. Over 2,500 years old, Bharata Natyam is traced to Tamil Nadu, originating as a way for women known as Devadasis to worship Hindu deities in temples. Kuchipudi is a dance-drama performance that originated in a village in Andhra Pradesh. Like many dancers as a part of the classical tradition, Murthy began her training very young at the age of four. Initially instructed by her mother, Murthy later apprenticed under Sudha Chandrasekar and, beginning at the age of eight, spent every summer practicing under gurus B. Bhanumathi and Sheela Chandrasekar of Bangalore, India; she also simultaneously trained in Kuchipudi in Michigan from age nine under Guru Sandhya Sree Athmakuri. Since giving her Arangetram (solo debut) at the age of fourteen, Murthy has garnered acclaim domestically and internationally as a prodigious performer and advocate for Classical Indian dance. In addition to winning several competitions and featured in many celebrated performances, Murthy has used her art to support fundraising efforts for organizations, including Aim for Seva, Asha for Education, and Rotary International.

As a Master Artist Fellow, Murthy carries a tradition that forms a link between India and the diaspora, especially the communities forming in Appalachia. “The community in Knoxville is not very much exposed to Indian Classical Art forms,” says Murthy. “So this has given me and my mother the opportunity to spread awareness of these two dance forms not only to [a] western audience, but also the Indian community who are not exposed to these art forms very much.”

Through the support of the fellowship, Murthy intends to further her education in Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi “through workshops, collaborations with other artists, and further training under my and other teachers.”