Guru Mampuzha Madhava Panicker (1900–1973) was a traditional Kathakali dancer and instructor. He was the former principal of the

Kerala Kalamandalam Kerala Kalamandalam, deemed to be University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major center for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the Southern states of India, with the special emphasis on K ...

University of Art and Culture in

Cheruthuruthi Cheruthuruthy also known as Vallathol Nagar is a small town in India near Wadakkanchery, Thrissur on the banks of the Nila (Bharathapuzha) river. Administration Falls in Talappilly taluk (Wadakkanchery) of the revenue district of Thrissur. Thr ...

in Kerala State in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Panicker was of the ''Kalluvazhi'' (midland) school of Kathakali. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1972. He was born in Kottappadi, near

Guruvayur Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...

, in Thrissur district in 1900. Panicker was one of the first pupils of Pattikkantodi Ramunni Menon. He became an expert in handling heroes like Arjuna, Bhima, and Daksha, and villains like Ravana, Duryodhana, and Herod. His main contribution lay in presenting Biblical stories, compressing full-length productions, and even introducing Hindi songs. He was chief artiste in several palace troupes at Punnathur, Katathanad, and Nilampur, and art centres in Kerala and beyond. He taught at Kerala Kalamandalam and the International Centre for Kathakali, New Delhi, where he also served as principal. Mampuzha Madhava Panicker died in 1973.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Panicker, Mampuzha Madhava Indian male dancers 1973 deaths 1900 births Kathakali exponents Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Dancers from Kerala Malayali people People from Thrissur district 20th-century Indian dancers