Smitha Rajan Biography 
Smitha Rajan is a renowned Mohiniyattom dancer from Kerala. She is the granddaughter of legendary artist couple - Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma. Her mother Sreedevi Rajan is also an accomplished dancer who gave her initial lessons of this traditional art form of Kerala. She also received training in Bharatnatyam from her aunt, Kala Vijayan. She represents the third generation of artists from her family. Started her professional career at the age of 12, she has completed over 2000 stage performances including India and abroad.
Smitha started learning Bharatanatyam from the age of 4 from her aunt Kala Vijayan. A child prodigy she made her arangettam (first performance for south Indian dance form) at the age of 5. Her arangettam was performed in a small temple at Thrippunithura where she performed Bharatnatyam. She learnt Kathakali, Abhinaya and Mudras from her renowned grandfather quite at a young age. She made her first Kathakali performance aside her grandfather. She played Rukmini and he was Sundara Brahmanan in ‘Rukmini Swayamvaram.' Rajan turned professional dancer when she was just 12. Since her grandparents ran ‘Kerala Kalalayam’, she got associated with it at a young age.
She is known world-wide as a strict Mohiniyattam traditionalist, who still follows the old traditions which were followed and passed over to her by her grandmother. Still now she has dedicated her full time to keep the tradition of Mohiniyattom going on. Smitha also learned Carnatic music from Prof. Kalyanasundaram for over 7 years. She has been honoured by many organisations in India and abroad and she regularly performs in dance festivals regularly.
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Updated: July 21, 2014
