Sadanam K. Harikumaran Biography 
Sadanam K. Harikumaran is an artist from Kerala, known for his association with different dance forms, music, painting, sculpting and literature. He is basically an actor-dancer of Kathakali, but also sings for it. He learned with art form from Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, who has taught many students this dance form. Harikumaran has penned seven Kathakali storyplays, known as Attakathas in Malayalam language. Manikantacharitam, Charudattam, Sapamochanam, Abhimanyu, Chitrangada, Karnaparvam and Puruvamsodayam are those published works. He is an active member of Sathvikam Kalasadanam - a sister concern of Gandhi Seva Sadanam Kathakali Academy.
Sadanam K. Harikumaran was born on 8 February 1958, in Peroor village of Palakkad district. His father K. Kumaran was a Gandhian and freedom fighter who founded Gandhi Seva Sadan. He is the son-in-law of Kakkad Karanavappad, one of the founders of Kerala Kalamandalam. Harikumaran started Kathakali learning at a very young age. Yet he continued with his academics and took Master’s degree before he turned fully active in art world. He was specialized in Malayalam for his higher studies. He has performed Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam during his college days, and learnt both these art forms from Kalamandalam Leelamma.
In 1989 he moved to West Bengal and taught Kathakali at Shanti Niketan, started by Rabindranath Tagore. He also began doing painting and sculpting in a prolific way. As an artist, he never left his passion towards painting and sculpturing even after returning back to Kerala. He continued his experiments with plastic arts. He joined Sadanam as a faculty, where he worked for many years and also earned the title ‘Sadanam K. Harikumaran’. He became Principal of Gandhi Seva Sadan in 2008. He is a rated Carnatic musician with AIR. He holds a diploma and scholarship from the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of India.
Published: September 08, 2018
Updated: September 08, 2018
