Faculty and Staff

Our faculty of experienced dance and music instructors are deeply dedicated to Silambam’s philosophy of holistic and high-quality arts education, and passionate about passing on these ancient Indian art forms to the next generation.

Click on the photos to learn more about each of our faculty and staff members.

Organizational Leadership

Lavanya Rajagopalan
Executive Artistic Director
Director, Bharatanatyam Program

Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan is a dancer/choreographer, arts educator/ administrator, and scientist/science communicator who has resided in the Houston area since 2001. Dr. Rajagopalan trained in Bharatanatyam with the legendary Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy, and in vocal Indian classical music and in nattuvangam. She has performed extensively and to critical acclaim, both individually and in collaboration with other artistes, throughout India and the US. She directed and performed in the US revival tour of the highly acclaimed dance theater production ‘Krishnam Vande Jagatgurum’, in 2007, and, in 2020, scripted, directed and performed in the digital reworking of the iconic ‘Raas’ choreography from that production, with a global cast of performers.

Dr. Rajagopalan is the founder and Executive Artistic Director of Silambam Houston, Houston's premiere Indian classical arts non-profit. She has choreographed and directed several dance performances/productions for the Silambam Houston Dance Company. Among these are Ritu – The Changing Moods of Nature (a collaborative Bharatanatyam/Ballet dance production); Krishna...?, Shambhavam, Maya – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (an Indian classical dance theater adaptation of the Shakespeare play), Kāvya: Poetry in Motion, and Chakravyuh: Battle Against the Odds. She oversees and develops Silambam Houston’s arts education programs; these include performances, workshops and residencies for K-12 and community settings, including ‘Dance Across India’, ‘Storytime with Silambam’, and ‘Dancing into STEM’.

Among the honors she has received is the distinguished 'Acharya Kala Bharathi' award from Bharat Kalachar in Chennai, recognizing her contributions to the field of Bharatanatyam as a Guru. She was also awarded the 'Woman's Achievement Award' by Bharathi Kalai Manram in 2022 in recognition of her service to the Indian diaspora in the Houston area.

Dr. Rajagopalan holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry. Following a decade- long, federally-funded, academic research career, she now focuses her scientific skills and energy on science communication and education, including through arts integration. She has taught at the elementary, undergraduate, graduate, and medical school levels, has extensive experience in scientific writing, editing, and content review, and develops standardized content for the MCAT. Her specific areas of research expertise range from biophysical and structural biology to biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology.

Krithika Mohankumar
Education Director
Co-Director, Bharatanatyam Program
Operations Manager

Krithika Mohankumar had her initial training and performed her Arangetram (solo dance debut) under Guru Balameera Chandra Grimes at Nataraja Natya Niketan, Chennai, India. Thereafter, she continued her dance training under Guru Saraswati Sundaresan, in the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam, and performed extensively both in solo performances and group productions.

Krithika has been associated with Silambam since 2005, and has taught on the Silambam faculty since 2009. She is extremely involved in all of Silambam’s activities, as a parent, faculty member, and creative consultant. She currently manages all of Silambam's Academy programs, and directs the Bharatanatyam program.

Nithya Sherman
Director, Heights Programs
Outreach & Community Engagement Liaison
Sponsorships Manager

Nithya Sherman had her Bharatanatyam arangetram under the tutelage of Guru. Smt. Indra Rajan in the Pandanallur Bani. She later trained with Guru Smt. Sikkil Vasanthakumari in the Kalakshetra Bani. She holds an MBA in Finance and HR, and is also a Montessori-trained teacher. She has worked in the field of school administration in India and Singapore. She has a deep passion for dance and has performed in various Sabhas and dance festivals in India. She moved to Houston in 2017, and continues to pursue her passion for dance in association with Silambam.

Priya Murle
Visiting Faculty, Bharatanatyam
Faculty Advisor

Kalaimamani Priya Murle is a guiding figure and mentor for the faculty and students of Silambam Houston, and teaches advanced techniques and concepts to selected students. Smt. Priya Murle has been in the field of Bharatanatyam for over 4 decades. A disciple of the legend Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy, Priya is multifaceted. An MPhil in philosophy with research in the Rasa theory, Priya has performed the world over and received several awards, including the Tamil Nade State Award, Kalaimamani.

Priya, a performer, teacher, and choreographer, is the Artistic Director of Shri Silambam Academy of Fine Arts. Along with Shreya Nagarajan Singh, Priya has started an initiative - the Parivartan Research Initiative - that provides annual short grants for research scholars. Priya is actively involved in outreach programmes that make classical dance accessible to all. She is currently the Vice President of Abhai.

Lead Faculty

Kalpana Subbarao
Director, Kathak Program

Kalpana Subbarao is proficient in two styles of Indian Classical Dance - Bharatanatyam and Kathak. She began her dance training in Bharatanatyam with Guru Rema Shrikant at the age of 9, and later with Guru Nandini Easwer, under whom she completed her Arangetram. She was the 2nd rank holder in the Junior, and 1st rank holder in the Senior and Vidhwat exams of the Karnataka State Board. She was also the recipient of a 3-year scholarship from the Karnataka Sangeet Natak Academy. Kalpana later took up Kathak and currently continues advanced training under Guru Pandit Sontosh Kumar. She performs extensively in the Houston area and around the world.

In 2015, Kalpana moved back to Houston, where she had previously lived for several years before moving east for a while. She joined the Silambam faculty in October 2016. Kalpana is passionate about classical dance and brings an exciting new dimension to Silambam in the form of the unique Indian classical dance form Kathak.

Kalpana holds an Engineering degree, as well as a Masters in Computer Science from UH. She has two grown daughters and lives with her husband in the Energy Corridor area.

Supradipta Datta
Director, Odissi Program

Supradipta has built a reputation as being an outstanding dancer with a natural flair for choreography. Supradipta was born in Kolkata India, and started learning Classical Indian dances at a tender age of 3, She trained in both in Bharat Natyam and Odissi, and has the rare distinction of completing her dance graduation "Sangeet Kriya Visharad" in both Bharat Natyam and Oddissi with top honors.

Supradipta is one of the most senior students of Nritya Shiromoni Guru Smt. Aloka Kanungo. Over the years she has been mentored by Padma Bibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She has also blessed by the guidance of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Smt. Sujata Mohapatra and Guru Monoranjan Pradhan.

Supradipta had been very active in the dance circuit in India. She has performed in prestigious dance festivals including the Khajuraho Dance Festival, the Konarak Dance Festival, the Puri Beach Festival and the First World Odissi Conference in Washington D.C. Supradipta was a regular artist at the national and network television of India. Her Odissi Dance was featured by the BBC in their documentary "In Search of Hinduism". She has worked in collaborations and other legendary dancers and musicians like Guru Smt. Kalavati Devi (Maha Raas) and Kanniks Kannikeswaran (Chitram).

Supradipta holds an MBA (Finance) from the Bauer School of Business Management Supradipta started Kalaangan, a dance school for Odissi in Houston. Kalaangan was the first school in the Greater Houston area which focussed solely on the practice and performance of Odissi. Kalaangan strives to educate our community about this beautiful art form and to help develop a passion for this style amongst the younger generation. Silambam is proud to partner with Kalaangan, and with Supradipta, in our shared mission to promote Indian arts.

Currently, Supradipta is also a faculty at Kala Bhavan, the center for visual and performing arts at the Houston Durga Bari Society.

Raji Natarajan
Director, Carnatic Music Program

Dr. Rajalaxmi Natarajan trained in vocal and instrumental music for several years at the Bhaktha Rasika Ranjani Sabha in Mumbai. She received music training from the late Shri P.N. Krishnamoorthy and Mrs. Jaya Subramaniam in Carnatic vocal music. She also trained in Carnatic violin under the tutelage of Shri. Kannan at the BRR Sabha. She is passionate about passing along the basics of this cultural tradition to the younger generation. She is a neuroscientist by profession, and pursues a full-time career as a science communicator in the Texas Medical Center.

Dr. Natarajan teaches classical music (vocal and violin) at Silambam, both as an ancillary subject for dance students and as a primary subject, in group and private lessons.

Dr. Mounika Karnam
Director, Hindustani Music Program

Dr. Mounika Karnam began her journey in music at the age of four in Hyderabad. While she lived in the UK, she learned Carnatic vocal and violin at The Bhavan, London. She started her music training under the guidance of her Guru, Smt. Sudha Sharma and acquired a Visharad(Bachelor’s) in Hindustani Classical Music from Bhatkande Sangeet Vidyapeeth, New Delhi. She began performing at a young age and has since taken the stage across India, the UK, Canada, China, and the USA. Mounika is a medical graduate and also holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration. She is also a social media content creator and co-host of ‘What’s Your Sankalp?’, a podcast about the butterfly effect which delves into inspiring life stories and biographies from around the world. She has been teaching music since 2020, guiding students in both Australia and India. On a mission to preserve her cultural roots, Mounika continues to contribute and promote Hindustani classical music at Silambam.

Naga Srinidhi Kuruvada
Director, Carnatic Percussion (Mridangam, Konnakol)
Carnatic Vocal Instructor

Naga Srinidhi Kuruvada has been learning Carnatic Mridangam from Gurus Vidwan Shri M Vasudeva Rao, Vidwan Shri S V Balakrishna and Vidwan Shri Mannargudi A Easwaran, as well as Vocal, since the age of five. He has performed extensively in India and the USA and won several awards in competitions held at the Madras Music Academy, Chennai, and at the Nada Brahma Sangeeta Sabha, Mysore. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's degree at the University of Houston, and plays the cello in addition to the mridangam.

Jason Zinn
Director, Hindustani Percussion (Tabla)

Jason Zinn is a disciple of Pandit Shantilal Shah, and has been playing the Tabla since 2007. As a student of Hindustani Classical Music, he learned in the traditional Guru Shishya Parampara, living directly with his Guru for 9 years. Jason regularly performs as an accompanist for Kathak dance, vocal, and instrumental music. In 2022, he performed with the Unbound production in New York and was part of the exciting Kathak Flamenco group Ritmo Zindagi in Houston, TX, for performances at the Miller Outdoor Theatre and San Jacinto College in 2019. Jason is excited to join the Silambam faculty and share his passion for Tabla with new students.

Dr. Rajarshi Bandyopadhyay
Director, Sitar

Rajarshi Bandyopadhyay Dr. Rajarshi Bandyopadhyay started his musical journey with the Sitar at the tender age of 7 in Kolkata, India, under the tutelage of Pandit Monoj Shankar, one of the finest exponents of the Senia-Maihar Gharana and a teacher par excellence. His intense training following the Guru–Shishya Parampara, the traditional way of imparting training on Indian Classical Music, made him adept in this instrument. Rajarshi has been playing the instrument for more than 30 years and is currently a senior disciple of Sitar Maestro Pandit Partha Bose. Rajarshi has performed solo across venues in India, Denmark and the USA. He has also been part of several orchestra groups and has composed music for several plays and short films. Since coming to Houston in May 2021, Rajarshi has regularly performed in various prestigious venues – NASA Johnson Space Center, Asia Society Texas, Kaplan JCC, University of Houston, Houston Durga Bari Society, Stafford Civic Center – to name a few. Rajarshi holds a doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering and pursues a full-time career as an Innovation Technology Specialist with Braskem America, Inc. Rajarshi firmly believes in the therapeutic power of music and intends to spread awareness about the Sitar and Indian Classical Music in the Greater Houston area through Silambam.

Preeti Krishnamani
Director, Kuchipudi Program

Building on her foundational training in Kuchipudi, Preeti Krishnamani currently continues to pursue advanced training at Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai, the mother institute founded by the famed Vempati Chinna Satyam, striving to master the technique and stylistic beauty of Vempati's Kuchipudi. She has explored ways to use art to express social commentary and relate with non-Indian peers, and has developed group works about female and minority empowerment. A graduate of MIT, Preeti balances art with her academic pursuits, bringing scientific inquiry into concepts like rhythm and showcasing the character identities of modern day heroes through Natya drama.

Preeti is involved in Silambam's outreach activities in the community in addition to directing the Kuchipudi program.

Mamatha Muralidharan
Director, Mohiniattam Program

Mamatha Muralidharan has learned Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi since the age of 4 and continues to learn, perform and teach performing arts. Born in India and brought up in Oman, she started her dance journey under the tutelage of Kalamandalam Jyothi Lakshmi. She is also trained under Kalamandalam Husna Bhanu, Guru Smt Anupama Mohan and Smt Raji Soundararajan. Mamatha is a nationally recognized classical dancer in India, as a recipient of the National Bal Shree award-2010 for the category of creative performance. She has also participated in numerous competitions and won titles across Kerala, India during both her school and college years. She has continued to perform in the US since moving here in 2019. She is currently involved with Silambam Houston, under the guidance of Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan. With a Masters in Mechanical Engineering, she works in the oil and gas industry.

Faculty and Instructors

Shraddha Mohan
Asst. Director, Carnatic Vocal
Donor Relationships Manager

Shraddha Mohan Shraddha Mohan holds a Masters in Indian Music from University of Madras, Chennai, India. Shraddha was awarded Best Vocalist at the Spirit of Youth Concerts held by The Music Academy Madras. She has been a passionate student of Carnatic music from the age of 5 and started her performing career in India at the age of 10. Shraddha has performed in many of the major Classical Arts institutions in India as well as the All India Radio. She has been invited to International performance arenas in Denmark, Singapore, Dubai and in many cities in the USA. . Her lineage boasts of Gurus who are extremely dedicated to the preservation of traditional South Indian Classical art forms and she wishes to bring this level of commitement, interest and fun while educating future artists on the values and relevance that these art forms hold today.

Dipika Pathak
Bharatanatyam Instructor

Dipika Pathak began her Bharatanatyam training in the Kalakshetra style under Kalaguru Dimple Deputy Shah at Kalashree Institution, Surat, Gujarat, India. She holds a B.A in Bharathanatyam from Gujarat state. She has performed at the National level in Gujarat, and has also performed in many dance festivals in all over India. She taught Bhatratanatyam for 8 years in India before moving to Texas in 2018, and is excited to continue her enthusiasm and love for Indian Classical dance with Silambam Houston. Dipika holds a Post-baccalaureate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Chicago, IL and works as a Nutritionist.

Karthika Haridas
Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal Instructor

Karthika Haridas started her dance journey at the age of 6 under the guidance of Guru Smt. Charu Narasimham. For over 15 years, Karthika learned under Charuji, with skills ranging from basics to more advanced pieces. She completed her arangetram under the guidance of Smt. Anisha Rajesh in October 2022 and is excited to continue her journey by teaching and performing at Silambam Houston. Along with being a classically trained dancer, Karthika has spent many years learning various other art forms. She started her Carnatic music training under her father from a very young age and has gone on to learn from many prestigious teachers over the years. Karthika had also completed years of Mridangam training under Vijay Ganesh and continues to show her love for the arts wherever she can. Karthika now works in the tech space and extends her talents in event management through wedding planning as well.

Anjali Kadur
Bharatanatyam Instructor
Theater Manager

Anjali Kadur began her dance journey in 2009 under the tutelage of Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan at Silambam Houston. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Texas Dallas. Anjali completed her arangetram in 2019 and is a member of the Silambam Houston Dance Company. She was a student instructor from 2018-2022 prior to joining the Silambam faculty. She continues to teach Beginner through Advanced classes.

Sreelakshmi Somanath
Bharatanatyam Instructor

Sreelakshmi Somanath is a senior Silambam student and company dancer. She began her Bharathanatyam journey at the age of 7 when she trained under Dr. Sreedhara Akkihebbalu for a few months in Corpus Christi. After moving to Houston, Sreelakshmi found her artistic home at Silambam Houston in August 2018, under Guru Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan. She had her Ranga Pravesham (solo dance debut) in June 2022 and has had the privilege of participating in several, original Silambam Houston productions. In addition to performing, Sreelakshmi was a student instructor from 2021-2024 prior to joining the Silambam faculty. She continues to teach Beginner through Advanced classes.

Karun Salvady
Instructor, Carnatic Percussion

Karun Salvady is a versatile South Indian Classical (Carnatic) percussionist from Houston, TX. He began his foundations of learning mridangam from Shri Shankar Ayyar and has been receiving advanced training from the esteemed maestro Sri Trichy B. Harikumar since 2011. After completing his arangetram in 2012, Karun has performed in over 350+ concert performances with eminent musicians across North America and throughout South India. He has also been a regular feature in many leading sabhas during the annual December Margazhi Music Season in Chennai for the past six years. Karun is a Neuroscience graduate from the University of Texas at Austin. After finishing college, Karun relocated to India to pursue music and conduct research on the intersection of music and the brain, but his plans got cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Music, Mind and Brain at the University of London, Goldsmiths. He teaches Mridangam and Konnakol at Silambam.

Adrienne McNees
Director, Yoga Program

Adrienne McNees has been teaching yoga since 2015, after completing RYT200 training under the guidance of Cat McCarthy at NOLA YOGA, RYS. Her teaching style in Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga is influenced by her teachers, her own practice, and her continuous learning of yoga asana and philosophy. Adrienne’s practical and uplifting teaching style emphasizes connecting movement with breath, while following intelligently designed sequences. Her classes create space for cultivating an awareness of connections between mind, body, and spirit. Emphasis is placed on safe alignments and intentional movements, with instruction provided for all levels and ages of students. Her classes are planned for students to feel restored, strengthened, and more connected to themselves. She joined the Silambam staff in 2021, and also teaches with the Pearland Parks and Recreation, and in private and semi-private classes. She is a certified Children’s Yoga teacher through Kidding Around Yoga. While off the mat, Adrienne works as a PhD scientist and faculty member at a medical school in Houston. For Adrienne teaching yoga is a way to share the heath-giving benefits of a yoga practice.

STUDENT INSTRUCTORS

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Nithya Sherman
Sponsorships Manager
Outreach and Community Engagement Liaison
sponsorships@silambamhouston.org

Melissa Raju
Marketing/Donor Development
melissa@silambamhouston.org

Shraddha Mohan
Donor Relationships Manager
sponsorships@silambamhouston.org

Anjali Kadur
Theater Manager
anjali@silambamhouston.org

Mridula Padmanabhan
Wardrobe Manager
wardrobe@silambamhouston.org

Janani Ramachandran
YUVA Festival Coordinator
yuva@silambamhouston.org

Kaavya Rajarathnam
Administrative Assistant
admin@silambamhouston.org