Chitra received her first training in the field of dance, at the tender age of three. Her mother, Smt. Rukmini Padmanabhan, who is an outstanding dancer, became her first guru. Chitra’s formal training in dance began when she learnt Western Classical Ballet in London, where her father was posted as the Railway Adviser at the Indian High Commission. Thereafter, she received training in the classical dances of Manipuri and Kathak in Calcutta. Chitra then also received training from Smt. T. A. Rajalakshmi and continued with the training for the next ten years.Chitra Visweswaran is a very popular Bharatanatyam dancer of India.
Along with being an amazing dancer, she is also an excellent teacher and a brilliant choreographer. Chitra founded her own dance institution ‘Chidambaram Academy of Performing Arts’ at Chennai, to promote the classical dances of India throughout the world.
Chitra Visweswaran choreographed her first dance under Rajalakshmi’s guidance, at the age of eleven only. She received the National Scholarship for advanced study in Bharatnatyam, from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, in the year 1970. Chitra received guidance under Bharatnatyam exponent Vazhuvoor Ramaiyya Pillai. she charted her own course in the field of dance. Later, Chitra married R. Visweswaran a vocalist, composer as well as a santoor player.
Chitra Visweswaran has given amazing dance performances in almost all the major dance festivals of India. She also participates in foreign shows on a regular basis. Her shows are so brilliant that numerous institutions and universities have documented them, along with her lectures, for reference. Chitra has made immense contribution to the field of dance through her experimentation and innovations. Presently, she is involved with RASA, an institute that uses creative dance and music therapy for special children with learning disabilities.
Awards
- First dancer to be invited to occupy the Rabindranath Tagore Chair of Fine Arts in the University of Madras
- Member of the General Council and Executive Board of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi
- Nritya Choodamani Award by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in the year 1980
- Honored with the title of ‘Kalaimamani’ by Government of Tamil Nadu in the year 1982
- Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the year 1987
- Padma Shri Award in the year 1992
- Honored with the title of ‘Mahila Shiromani’ and ‘Sthree Ratnam’