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 Radha Bhaskar Menon: A life in rhythm, a legacy in grace - Bijoy Anand Shivram and Neethi Srikumar e-mail: bijoyshivram@gmail.com May 30, 2025  Radha Bhaskar In the evolving cultural tapestry of Ahmedabad in the 1970s where classical traditions had already found fertile ground through pioneering institutions like Mrinalini Sarabhai's Darpana Academy, Kumudini Lakhia's Kadamb Dance Center and Elakshiben Thakore's Nrityabharti, emerged a school that was intimate in spirit, uncompromising in discipline and luminous in vision - Mudra School of Indian Classical Dances, co-founded in 1973 by Radha Bhaskar Menon and her husband and fellow artiste Bhaskar Menon. For us - Bijoy and Neethi, a brother-sister duo who would later become the first such pair in Gujarat to perform their Arangetram - Mudra was more than a school. It was our sanctuary, our forging ground and most profoundly, our home of art. At its heart stood Radha chechi and Bhasker aettan, as we fondly called them - our beloved Gurus, mentor and the guiding light of our earliest encounters with Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi.  Guru Krishna Panickker and Gauri Panickker  Shailaja, Girija, Ambika Rema, Radha and Prasanna Born on September 28, 1948 to the revered Guru Krishna Panickker and Gauri Panickker, Radha Bhaskar Menon was raised in the sacred discipline of the Gurukul tradition. Her childhood echoed with the rhythms of nattuvangam, the expressive subtlety of abhinaya and the humility of daily spiritual practice. Alongside her five siblings - Prasanna, Rema, Ambika, Girija and Shailaja - she was shaped into an artiste who would later define the contours of classical dance education in Gujarat. She earned her Master's in English from Sophiya College, Mumbai. Radha chechi's artistry forged in depth. With firm roots in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali, she carried forward her parents' legacy with devotion and discernment. Later, with her life-partner Bhaskar Menon - who had already been contributing to the cultural milieu of Gujarat through Darpana - she shaped Mudra into a centre that nurtured not just dancers, but seekers. It was a place where the body was trained, the mind was moulded, and the soul was awakened.  Bhaskar Menon and Radha Bhaskar To learn from Radha Bhaskar Menon was to be sculpted. She taught with exactitude - every adavu mattered, every glance had to carry meaning, every silence had to speak. Yet, she wrapped her rigour in tenderness. She could dissolve a moment of struggle with laughter and lift the weight of perfectionism with a warm word or an encouraging nod. Her teaching blended ancestral wisdom with a generous human spirit. Radha chechi and Bhaskar aettan were not only inspiring artists and teachers, they were also radiant human beings. Jovial, full of fun and utterly inseparable, they moved through life with an infectious joy. Never ones to complain, they embraced each day with laughter, warmth and a zest for life that filled every corner of Mudra and every heart around them. Their partnership was a dance in itself - a rhythm of mutual respect, delight and shared purpose. Her choreographic brilliance shone in productions like Venkateshwara Kalyanam, Bhama Kalapam, Ashta Nayika, Meghdootam and many more- each a marriage of classical grammar and poetic emotion. She had an uncanny ability to illuminate the devotional core of a work while keeping its aesthetic integrity intact. Her productions did not merely display technique; they revealed inner worlds. Over the decades, Mudra School grew organically, branching out across Ahmedabad and Mehsana, becoming a sacred space for countless students who would carry forward her legacy. Merely the awards she received cannot capture her impact - though they were many: the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Gaurav Puraskar, the Sringar Mani title by Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai and many more. Her true legacy lives on in the bodies, voices and hearts of the students she touched - students like us, who found in her not only a Guru, but also a way of life.  Ananth, Aparna, Bhaskar and Radha Menon Today, her vision lives on in her children and grandchildren - Ananth Menon, Aparna Kiran Menon, Smidha Menon and Vaishnavi Menon - who embody her ethos and carry forward her devotion to classical arts with equal integrity and passion. For us, remembering Radha chechi is not a gesture of finality - it is a continuous act of gratitude. Her voice still rings in our ears, gently correcting, joyfully laughing. Her spirit lives in every mudra we shape, in every stage we walk onto, in every student we now teach. She remains our measure of grace, discipline and dedication. Radha Bhaskar Menon is no more (She passed away on 22nd May 2025). Nevertheless, her dance, her wisdom and her radiant joy live on. In every performance, in every prayer, in every life she shaped. Ever radiant. Ever dancing. Ever ours.  Son of journalists K Shivram and Amni Shivram, the first Malayali woman English journalist, Bijoy Shivram is an accomplished Indian classical dancer trained in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. A passionate promoter of the arts and a skilled graphic designer, he currently serves as the Vice Principal of JG College of Performing Arts and the Assistant Director (Operations) overseeing 17 JG colleges. He is also the founder of Preksha, an organization dedicated to the promotion of art and culture in Ahmedabad. Since 2020, Bijoy has curated the YouTube series 'Gurudakshina - An Ode to our Gurus,' celebrating the legacy of mentorship and tradition.  Neethi Srikumar, a gifted Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer trained under Radha and Bhaskar Menon, balanced artistic grace with academic brilliance, earning a gold medal in M.Ed. from MS University. Her passion for education led her to shape and sustain schools with the Sriram Group. Post-retirement, she founded Diamair - The Key to All Learning in Hyderabad, which she continues to nurture with vision and purpose. Responses * Very sorry to know the sad news of Radha Bhaskar's demise. Our heartfelt condolences to the entire Mudra family. Though we had long association with the illustrious couple, we have not been in constant touch. Yes, the couple's contribution to Bharatanaatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathakali in the Gujarat area is phenomenal and we pray that Radha ji's legacy will be continued through her several disciples spread across the globe. - The Dhananjayans. Bharatakalanjali, Chennai (June 6, 2025) * Very well articulated. I could relate to every word in the article. Madam was a legacy in herself and such a beautiful human being. Although her mortal presence is no longer there, she will continue to live in the dance she has taught to so many children. We always felt Mudra as an extended family. I am sure each and every family of student of Mudra feels the same way. This shows the warmth with which dance was taught in Mudra. We will miss the smiling face and strong presence that Radha Madam had in any performance or arrngetram. My daughter had the fortune to learn Kuchipudi from Radha Madam. We will miss you, Madam. - Jayalakshmi (June 1, 2025) Post your comments Please provide your name and email id along with your comment. All appropriate comments posted with name and email id in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
