When determination dances with technology

- Madurai R. Muralidharan
e-mail: nrithyakshethra@gmail.com

June 28, 2025

June 14, 2025 is a date I will hold close to my heart - not just as a teacher of Bharatanatyam but as a human being who was humbled and inspired by the resilience of a young dancer named Nivriti Mahesh. I had the distinct honor of attending and being part of Nivriti's arangetram in Connecticut, USA. It was unlike any arangetram I have witnessed in my decades of experience. Because this wasn't just a debut performance. It was a revolution - grace wrapped in grit, rhythm sculpted by resilience, and dance elevated by the silent strength of innovation.

Nivriti Mahesh

Nivriti, or Nivi as she is fondly called, is a bilateral cochlear implant recipient who was born profoundly deaf. Yet, on that stage, you would never have guessed the struggles she has had to overcome. You would only see the clarity of her lines, the conviction in her abhinaya, and the poise of a seasoned performer.

Bharatanatyam, as we all know, is deeply rooted in rhythm, subtle auditory cues, and complex layers of live music - vocals, mridangam, nattuvangam, veena, flute, and more. For someone like Nivriti, decoding these sounds is a challenge most of us cannot even begin to imagine. But she, her mother and teacher Aishwarya Chakravarthy, and an incredible support team found their own path. When the world didn't have a map for her journey, they drew one.

The cochlear implant, as many know, bypasses damaged parts of the ear and stimulates the auditory nerve directly. But music through this system can often sound flattened, distorted, or altogether indecipherable. Yet Nivriti, aided by a two-channel DM system custom engineered for her, performed with an awareness and response that was nothing short of astonishing.

Her team channeled two distinct audio streams - one carrying the main vocals and rhythmic instruments, and the other dedicated to cues from her mother - into her processors. During the most challenging jathi sections, where the nattuvangam needed to be audible to the audience, Nivi relied entirely on her muscle memory, built over countless hours of practice, and real-time visual cues streamed from a camera fixed on her mother to a monitor in her line of sight. This camera wasn't hidden. It was deliberately placed so she could read her mother's lips and facial expressions to stay on beat.

Nivriti Mahesh

I watched in awe as Nivi danced - not merely as a performer, but as a visionary force, showing us what's possible when passion refuses to bow to limitations. What moved me even more was that this young woman, who had every reason to celebrate herself that evening, chose instead to shine her spotlight on others. Instead of receiving gifts, Nivriti and her family raised over $15,000 for hearing impaired children in India, in collaboration with AIM for Seva. They plan to fund hearing support systems, education, and rehabilitation services for other children walking the same path. In that moment, I saw how dance can be more than art. It can be advocacy. It can be empathy in motion. And it can be an act of social transformation.

To Aishwarya - teacher, mother, guide - you are a shining example of what it means to live your dharma. To Nivriti - you are no longer just a dancer. You are a trailblazer. Your arangetram was not just a debut. It was a declaration. A declaration that no limitation is final. That where the world says "pause," we can still choose to say "perform."

As I left the auditorium amidst thunderous applause and a standing ovation, I realized I hadn't just watched an arangetram. I had witnessed history. And more importantly, I had witnessed the future.

Madurai R. Muralidharan is a Bharatanatyam dancer, composer and choreographer, celebrated for his prolific contributions to Indian classical arts. With an extraordinary repertoire of over 500 compositions, he has redefined the musical landscape of Bharatanatyam. He holds 14 world records, including three Guinness World Records, recognizing his innovative work in classical dance. He has trained hundreds of students and collaborated with renowned artists globally. He continues to inspire generations through his creativity, discipline, and passion for the classical arts.