Swarajathi Fine Arts Academy

Swarajathi Fine Arts Academy was founded in Cagary, Alberta by Mrs. Sudha Panchangam to teach Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal Music.

Sudha Panchangam is an acclaimed artist of the Pandanallur tradition of Bharatanatyam. She was rigorously trained by Guru Sri Devendra Pillai, one of the foremost Bharatanatyam teachers in the city of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. She learnt Kuchipudi from Guru Sri. Koteswara Rao, hailing from the village of Kuchipudi. For over two decades, Sudha has given around 100 performances in several Indian cities, USA and Canada. Many of her students from the USA have performed and won awards for dances at prestigious competitions such as the Gemini TANA (Telugu Association of North America) festival.

Classical music is intrinsic to Bharatanatyam, and Sudha has had a thorough training in vocal Indian classical music with Gurus Sri Tirupati Ponnarao, Sri Garimella Balakrishna Prasad and Sri Pudukkotai R. Krishnamurthy.

Subsequent to her relocation to Canada in 2008, Sudha founded a dance and music school, Swarajathi Fine Arts Academy, in Calgary. Here she trains students in classical dance forms and carnatic vocal music. The academy has a well-earned reputation for excellence, participating in several fund raisers, and contributing to the cultural diversity of the city.