Vazhenkada Vijayan is a senior Kathakali exponent and a retired principal of

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 ...

, the performing art institute where he was trained in the classical dance-drama from

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

in southern

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 ...

Life

A son and disciple of Kathakali artiste

Padma Shri Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...

Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, Vijayan is noted for his roles in the categories of the "Virtuous Pachcha", the anti-heroic Kathi and the semi-realistic minukku roles. Vijayan won the Central

Sangeet Natak Academy Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India. History It was set up by the Indian education ministry on 31 May 1952 and be ...

2012 award for Kathakali. Sangeet Natak Akademi Award A native of Vazhenkada in

Malappuram Malappuram (also Malapuram) () is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of including the surrounding suburban areas. The first municipality in the district formed in 1970, Malappuram serves as the administrative headquarter ...

district, he now lives in the Kathakali village of Vellinezhi in

Palakkad Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated municipal ...

district. His wife's name is Rajalakshmi.

References

Kathakali exponents Dancers from Kerala Malayali people Indian male dancers Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award People from Malappuram district 20th-century Indian dancers {{India-culture-stub