Saipriya Viswanathan
Saipriya Viswanathan is a talented and versatile young artiste. The daughter of Mrs.Rajam and Dr.D.Viswanathan, she started training in both Carnatic vocal music and Bharata Natyam from the tender age of five. During her late teens, she decided to study the Veena too, thereby encompassing all the three aspects of Sangeetam, vis-a-vis, Geetam (vocal music), Vadyam (instrumental music) and Nrithyam (dance).
She trained under Gurus like Dr.Smt.Jayashree Rajagopalan, Smt.Nalini Raghu for Bharata Natyam. Her vocal skills have been honed by Gurus Smt.T.R.Balamani and Smt.Alamelu Mani. On the Veena, she has received training from Smt.Mangalam Muthuswamy.
Saipriya has been a regular performer in dance and she has performed both in and out of Mumbai. Her main performances include those at the NCPA (National Centre for the Performing Arts), Mumbai, the ISKCON, The Alliance Francais, The Indian Institute of World Culture, Bangalore, the Shankarabharanam Trust and the Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Chennai and the Swati Tirunal Sangeetha Sabha, Tiruvananthapuram. Saipriya is a National Merit Scholarship holder from the Department of Culture. Having performed at the Sur-Singar Sammelan, she has acquired the title of ‘Singar Mani’. She is also a graded aritste at the Doordarshan, Mumbai.
Ms.Viswanathan is also a performer on the Veena and has some feathers in her cap in that field as well. She is the recipient of the title of ‘Sur Mani’ from the Sur-Singar Samsad. Completing a diploma course in Carnatic vocal music from the University of Mumbai has helped her develop a better understanding of music, thereby enabling her to compose songs for dance numbers. When she finds time for it, she loves to indulge in poetry writing as well. Saipriya believes that being creative helps people live a life rich with joy and fulfilment. To her. her art is not only a means of self-expression – it is life itself!.
Saipriya is also a teacher of both dance and music. Her motto is ‘Art for Art’s sake’. She is a pure traditionalist and her future aspiration is to open an Institute dedicated to the service of art. At present, she runs a dance troupe by the name of ‘KALAA KAUMUDI’. She hopes to further her own knowledge by imparting her knowledge to her students. As the old adage goes, ‘TEACHING IS THE BEST FORM OF LEARNING’!