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.
Milestones along
the way.
Selected honours and recognition from a lifetime in the arts.
- 2022Nrithya Kalanidhi
- The Madras Music Academy
- 2019Padma Shri
- Government of India
- 2018Life story in the Class XI Tamil textbook
- Tamil Nadu State Board
- 2017Empanelled Outstanding Dance Artist
- Indian Council for Cultural Relations
- 2016Honorary Doctorate
- Periyar Maniammai University
- 2011Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- Sangeet Natak Akademi
- 2007Kalaimamani
- Government of Tamil Nadu