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| Vision-Aid’s 2025 Annual Event - "Shakuntala – The Legend Of The Lost Ring" |
Press Release
06/26/2025
Vision-Aid’s 2025 Annual Event - "Shakuntala – The Legend of the Lost Ring" set to dazzle audiences on Sunday, July 27th, 2025 at 4 PM US EST Vision-Aid’s annual dance productions have become a New England tradition of their own – a remarkable event that the entire community looks forward to with anticipation. This year’s show comes to audiences in a hybrid mode - allowing viewers to choose watching the show live in person at Collins Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Shawsheen Rd, Andover, MA (or also virtually from the comfort of their homes) on Sunday, July 27th, 2025 at 4 PM US EST, allowing for the creative, dazzling flavor which have set these shows apart in a category of their own. For more details of the show, to buy tickets, or to become a sponsor, please visit www.VisionAid.org/event Following in the footsteps of 17 brilliant sold-out performances, Vision-Aid is delighted to present Guru Madurai R. Muralidaran’s " Shakuntala – The Legend of the Lost Ring " - Immerse yourself in the grandeur of ancient Indian history with poet Kalidasa’s Shakuntala – The Legend of the Lost Ring! Did you know that “Bharat,” a synonym for India, takes its name from King Bharata —the son of Shakuntala and King Dushyant? Join this spectacular Broadway-style epic production and step back in time into the enchanting world of Shakuntala, drawn from the timeless Indian epic Mahabharata, where a secret royal marriage, a fateful curse, and a lost ring propel a heart-wrenching love story that will keep you enthralled. The show will feature over 50 talented dancers and several dance teachers from New England, working under the guidance of renowned and award-winning dance choreographer and producer from India, Kalaimamani Madurai R. Muralidaran. Boston area dance teachers – Jeyanthi Ghatraju and Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy are the lead Artistic Directors and pillars for this year’s production. Dance Mentors Roopa Modha, Shruthi Lakshmi Narayan, Shilpa Narayanan and Priyanka Joshi are also taking the lead in training the 50 plus performers in the production and assisting in various ways. The team has been hard at work, pulling together the brightest dance talent in the New England area – all of them graciously volunteering their time to support the cause. The performers in the production include Senior Dancer Mentors: Chitanya Gopu, Priyanka Joshi, Roopa Modha, Shilpa Narayanan, Shruthi Lakshmi Narayan The Performers: Aanya Challuri, Aarna Mahadevan, Aditi Wadhwa, Akshadha Ghantasala, Akshaya Anand, Akshaya Mavalur, Akshita Koganti, Amal Balachundhar, Ananya Kumar, Anika Nambiar, Anjali Kannan, Ashvitha Eyalarasan, Avantika Nair, Brahmani Tatikonda, Danush Datthathireyan Kalyanaraman, Dhruthi Kondamareddy, Divyanjali Shivashok, Druthi Choudavarapu, Janhavi Sripall, Kavya Krishnan, Manuel Jenkin Jerome, Maanya Shettigar, Mahi Kulkarni, Nandita Nair, Nikita Gajaria, Nirupama Bhat, Nora Reddy, Praksitha Rajasekaran, Prateeksha Nidasesi, Preetika Guntireddygari, Reeya Wadhwani, Sheethal Udupa, Tanmayee Patil, Thivya Sivarajah, Vaidehi Natarajan, Vanshika Kukunoor The Narrators: Archana Selvaraj and Janhavi Wadhwani The Junior Performers: Anoushka Nair, Aretha Aravind, Dhruv Koganti, Maedha Naluvala, Nishka Aabha Swayampakulaa, Isha Dwivedi, Yashi Dwivedi For more details of the show, to buy tickets, or to become a sponsor, please visit www.VisionAid.org/event Special thanks to the Vasudha Kudrimoti and Sanjay Kudrimoti of Fotu Duniya – The Picture World for the photo collage of the amazing dancers in this production Thanks also goes to Meyyappan Meyyappan of Kolam Media Creations for designing the eye-catching graphics and poster for this production. The Producer The concept and choreography for this production are by Madurai R Muralidaran of Chennai, India, a renowned dance choreographer, composer, and musician, who has won critical acclaim for his creations in Bharatanatyam. He has composed over 120 varnams, produced several dance dramas, composed Pushpanjalis, Alarippus, Jathiswarams, Mallaris, Varnams and Thillanas in all the 35 thalams and Jathiswarams in all 72 Melakartha ragas, unprecedented in the field of Bharatha Natyam. He has over 300 compositions to his credit. His productions in support of Vision-Aid, Krishna (2009), Justice of the Anklet (2010), Slaying of the Demons (2012), The Iconic Avatar (2016), Charmer, Warrior, Guide (2017), Golden Armor, Golden Heart (2018), Invincible Spear (2019), Shakthi – the Essence of the Empowered Woman (2020), and The Seven Selfless Sovereigns (2021), and the Jewel of Justice (2022), The Son of the Wind (2023) still has audiences in Boston talking! The Artistic Directors The Artistic Directors for this amazing production are: Jeyanthi Ghatraju & Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy Jeyanthi Ghatraju, a Bharathanatyam dancer and choreographer with a mission to perform for charity, is the Founding Artistic Director of Vision-Aid productions since 2009. She offers online Certificate and Degree Programs in Performing Arts through her affiliation with Alagappa Performing Arts Academy through her dance school, Natyanjali, in Westford, MA, which celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2024. She was awarded the coveted US Presidential Gold Service Award in 2013 and 2018 for her community service and recognized with a 2025 Creative Individuals grant by Massachusetts Cultural Council. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy, director of Abhinaya Natyashala in Framingham, MA, was initiated into the art form of Bharathanatyam by Smt. Revathi Kumar and currently pursues advanced training in dance and nattuvangam under Guru Madurai R. Muralidharan. In 1999, she co-founded MIT Natya, one of the first collegiate Indian classical dance organizations in the US. She has been actively involved in Vision-Aid productions since 2010 and has served as an Artistic Director since 2016. In 2022, she was an Assistant Director for the premiere of Guru Muralidharan’s production “Sangam Thamizh''. Senior Dancers and Mentors Chitanya Gopu completed her Master’s degree at Carnegie Mellon University and is working in environmental engineering. She completed her arangetram in 2013 with Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy and is now an assistant teacher at her dance school Abhinaya Natyashala. She has been involved with Vision-Aid productions since 2010, and is excited to be a part of the production as well as mentoring younger dancers and taking an active role in teaching and organizing the pieces. Priyanka Joshi has a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and works as a Research Associate at Sanofi. She is a passionate Bharatnatyam dancer with over 18 years of experience and completed her arangetram in 2019. She has grown as a dancer under the tutelage of Smt. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy and is now an assistant teacher at Abhinaya Natyasala. She has been involved in various Vision-Aid productions since 2016 and is excited to be a part of this year's production while taking on a teaching role. Roopa Modha is an intellectual property law attorney, TV host, author, lyricist, illustrator, journalist, international pageant queen, dancer and dance teacher. Roopa excels at many styles of dance - Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, semi-classical, ballet, tap, jazz, and Bollywood. A recipient of many awards from around the world for dance, law, and her work for girls’ education, she was honored by the White House as a Changemaker in 2017 and has been conferred titles like Most Inspiring Woman of the Earth & Most Phenomenal Woman of the World 2022 to name a few. Shilpa Narayanan holds a double major in Biological Sciences & Psychology from University of Connecticut and works as a Clinical Trial Manager in Boston. She completed her arangetram in 2013 and continues to learn under Guru Smt. Sujatha Meyyappan, while also serving as an assistant teacher for Kolam Academy of Dance. Shilpa began her Vision-Aid journey in 2012 and was credited as Assistant Director for the premiere of Guru Muralidharan’s production “Vayuputra” in 2023. She holds a strong commitment towards the cultural arts, mentoring students and performing at several events and competitions around the New England area. Shruthi Lakshmi Narayan, a passionate dancer with over 20 years of experience, trained under her mother Jayahsree Narayan, Gurus Kiran Subramaniam and Sandhya Kiran and is currently learning from Guru Supriya Komandur. Shruthi completed her arangetram in 2008 and has performed at several prestigious dance festivals in India such as Natyanjalis, ICCR, Institute of World Culture, Dept. of Kannada and Culture to name a few. Shruthi lives in Watertown, MA and has performed at various festivals in New England, including Vision-Aid’s 2022 “Silapathikaram- Jewel of Justice” in Boston. She has a background in architecture and product design and is currently working as a UX designer in Bedford. The amazing dancers and performers in this show are - Aanya Challuri, a rising 10th grader with a passion for Bharatanatyam, has been learning from Smt. Sujatha Meyappan for the past 8 years. She is eagerly looking forward to her 4th year participating in a Vision-Aid production. Aarna Mahadevan, a rising 8th grader at the Academy for Science and Design in Nashua, NH, is learning Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Smt. Aishwarya Balasubramanian. This is Aarna’s 5th year participating in Vision-Aid productions! Along with her passion for Bharatanatyam, she enjoys other hobbies like playing badminton, playing the clarinet, and swimming. Aditi Wadhwa, a rising junior at Lexington High School, has been learning Bharatanatyam from Triveni School of Dance under Smt. Neena Gulati ji since the age of 6. She will be completing her arangetram soon. This is her 1st time performing at a Vision-Aid performance and she is looking forward to this new experience in her dance journey. Akshadha Ghantasala, a rising 10th grader at Hopkinton High School, has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy for 9 years. This will be her 4th year taking part in a Vision-Aid production and she is very excited! Outside of dance, Akshadha enjoys reading, painting, playing violin, and teaches a Bollywood dance class. Akshaya Anand, a rising 7th grader at Diamond Middle School, Lexington, has been learning Bharatnatyam for the past 8 years from Smt. Kalpana Balachundar. She loves to read, sketch and is very excited about her 1st year participating in a Vision-Aid production. Akshaya Mavalur, a rising 9th grader, has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy for close to 4 years. She will be part of the Vision-Aid production for the 2nd time and is eager to perform along with other extraordinary dancers. Aside from Bharatanatyam, Akshaya is a field hockey player and enjoys other forms of dance. Akshita Koganti, a rising 7th grader, has been learning Bharatanatyam under Guru Smt. Aishwarya Balasubramaniyan for the past 6 years. She has performed at TAGB and NEMA competitions. An avid swimmer, she also loves painting, chess, playing piano and violin, reading and singing Carnatic Vocal. Akshita is very excited to be a part of the Vision-Aid’s mission for the 2nd time. Amal Balachundhar, a rising junior at Lexington High School, started dancing at the age of 3 and has been learning under Smt. Kalpana Balachundhar. He completed his Arangetram in 2023, and this is his 8th year dancing in a Vision-Aid production. He assists with teaching younger students in Chandra Dance School. Ananya Kumar graduated from Hopkinton High School in 2025 and is an incoming freshman at UNC Chapel-Hill. She has been learning Bharathanatyam from Smt. Sripriya Natarajan moorthy for the past 12 years and completed her Arangetram in the summer of 2023, She is excited to dance in her 4th Vision-Aid production this year. Anika Nambiar, a 9th grader at Ashland High School, has been learning Bharatanayam under the guidance of Smt. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy for the past 10 years. A passionate dancer, Anika is thrilled to be a part of the Vision-Aid production for the 5th time. She appreciates this platform that helps her learn and grow while working towards supporting Vision-Aid's mission of empowering the visually impaired. Anjali Kannan, a rising freshman at Hopkinton High School, began her Bharatanatyam journey at the age of 5 and has been training under the guidance of Sripriya for the past 7 years. In addition to Bharatanatyam, Anjali has also explored Kathak for 3 years. Ashvitha Eyalarasan, a rising 12th grader at Lexington High School, has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Kalpana Balachundhar for 10 years. This is her 4th year participating in a Vision-Aid production and she is very excited to be a part of it. Ashvitha enjoys playing drums, guitar, reading and dancing. Avantika Nair is a rising sophomore at Keefe Tech in Framingham. She has been learning Bharatanatyam under Smt. Sripriya Moorthy for the past 10 years, and over time, dance has become her biggest passion and creative outlet. Being part of Vision-Aid’s inspiring mission is something she looks forward to every year, and she’s truly grateful and excited to be involved for the 5th time! Brahmani Tatikonda, a rising freshman at Westborough High School, began her Bharatanatyam journey under Guru Smt. Vishal Ramani at the Shri Krupa Dance Company in CA. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she demonstrated her dedication by continuing her studies virtually with Smt.Revathi. Since moving to the state of MA, Brahmani has been further honing her skills under the guidance of Smt. Kalaimangai Anbalagan. This performance marks her debut with Vision-Aid, and she is grateful for the opportunity and feels truly blessed to be part of this inspiring production. Danush Datthathireyan Kalyanaraman is a student of Madurai R. Muralidaran’s Nrithyakshethra Dance Academy who completed his arangetram in 2019. Holding an engineering degree in aerospace, he is studying to become an airline pilot and has attained his private pilot license in Fort Myers, Florida. Dhruthi Kondamareddy is a rising freshman in high school who is bright, compassionate, self-motivated and friendly, excelling in academics and extracurricular activities. Dhruthi has been learning Bharatanatyam dance for 4 years. She is a proud ambassador of Project 351, contributing to her community through service and leadership. Dhruthi is also excited to perform in the Vision-Aid program, using her talents for a greater cause. An avid reader, she finds joy and inspiration in books and is driven to make a difference in her local and global community. Divyanjali Shivashok, a rising 10th grader in Algonquin Regional High School, has been learning Bharatnatyam from Smt. Hema Iyengar for the past 9 years. She also practices martial arts and has a black belt in karate and loves painting and sketching. This is her 1st Vision-Aid performance and she’s looking forward to working with all the wonderful dancers performing in this production. Druthi Choudavarapu, a rising 8th grader, has been learning dance with Smt. Kalaimangai Anbalagan for the past 6 years. This will be her 3rd time participating in a Vision-Aid production and she is very excited to be doing it again. Druthi enjoys swimming, playing the clarinet and chess, and dancing. Janhavi Sripall, a rising 8th grader, has been learning dance with Smt. Kalaimangai Anbalagan for the past 7 years. Performing classical dance has taught her many valuable skills, including stamina, self-expression, and proper form. It is her first time performing at a Vision-Aid performance and she is looking forward to participating in this production. Kavya Krishnan, a rising senior in high school, is very excited to take part in a Vision-Aid production for the 5th year. She has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt Kalpana Balachundhar since 1st grade. She enjoys playing the piano, playing tennis, and participating in Robotics competitions. Manuel Jenkin Jerome is an optimisation scientist working at E ink. He has a passion for classical dance and martial arts in addition to science. He started learning Bhatatanatyam under Aparna Anoop Deshpande. He has been training under Abhinayaa Natarajan since 2019. He also learns ballet, Chinese classical jazz/folk dances, Balinese Traditional dance (Margapati) and Kung Fu. Other interests include singing, Chinese lion dance, yoga and history. Maanya Shettigar, a rising sophomore at Hopkinton High School, is honored to be participating in her 1st performance with Vision-Aid. Maanya has been pursuing Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Guru Smt. Sapna Krishnan for nearly 3 years and under Guru Poornima Risbud for about 5 years. In addition to her training in classical dance, she also takes great interest in performing Bollywood dance, reflecting her versatility and passion for the art form. Mahi Kulkarni, a rising freshman in Sharon High School, is currently learning Bharatnatyam from guru Hema Iyengar. She has also trained under Guru Kalaimangai Anbalagan and Guru Pooja Shyam. She also loves Bollywood dancing and participated in many events. She is also a basketball player, active lego robotics team member and currently represents Sharon Middle School for track and field. This is her 1st Vision-Aid performance and she is looking forward to learning from and performing with all the wonderful dancers associated with this production. Nandita Nair, a rising 7th grader, has been learning dance from Smt. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy for the past 5 years. Dance helps Nandita stay strong in body and mind, and she loves telling stories through expressions and movement. For Nandita, dance is a powerful medium to create and connect. Nikita Gajaria, a rising 9th grader at Lexington High School, is excited to participate in her first Vision-Aid production. She has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Kalpana Balachundhar for 8 years. Nikita enjoys reading, sewing, baking and robotics. Nirupama Bhatt, a rising senior at Cumberland High School, has been learning from Smt. Hema Iyengar for the last 6 years. This is her first year performing in a Vision-Aid event. Nirupama is also highly involved in music, playing both the Western flute and Indian flute. She has also participated in Science Olympiad competitions for 6 years, and aspires to be a doctor. Nora Reddy, a rising 7th grader at Jonas Clarke Middle School in Lexington, MA, is a dedicated student of Smt. Kalpana Balachundhar, and has been learning Bharatanatyam for the past 5 years. She is thrilled to be performing in her very first Vision-Aid production. Nora is a joyful and curious learner who embraces challenges. She loves spending time with her younger sister, Priya, getting lost in good books, and dreams of traveling more in the future. Praksitha Rajasekaran, a rising freshman at Dartmouth College, has been learning dance from Smt. Thenu Raajan for 11 years. Praksitha enjoys pursuing science and healthcare where she now devotes her time to do research with a local professor. She also loves learning new languages and is proud of her first place title in a national French contest. She is excited to be part of a Vision-Aid event for the 6th year in a row. Prateeksha Nidasesi, a rising 10th grader, is excited to be participating in Vision-Aid event for the first time. She has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Jeyanthi Ghatraju for the past 9 years. Dance has always been a big part of her life, and she also enjoys playing volleyball and cooking. She finds joy in expressing her creativity in all these activities. Preetika Guntireddygari, a rising 7th grader at Hopkinton Middle school, is thrilled to take part for the 5th year in a Vision-Aid production. She has learnt Kuchipudi for 4 years and is now learning Bharatanatyam for 4 years. She enjoys dancing, singing, drawing, and playing soccer. Reeya Wadhwani is a rising senior at Boston University Academy. She has been learning Bharatanatyam at the Vidyanjali School of Dance for the past 11 years. She completed her Arangatrem in 2023 with her guru, Anandini Chandra Sekhar. This is her first time being part of a Vision-Aid production, and she is very excited to participate! Sheethal Udupa is a rising junior learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Sripriya Moorthy for the past 10 years. Performing this artform has taught her many valuable skills, such as form, precision, and how to express herself. This will be her 4th Vision-Aid performance and is very excited to perform in this production. Tanmayee Patil, a rising senior at Hopkinton High School, has been learning dance from Smt. Jeyanthi Ghatraju at Natayanjali for 8 years. Along with the college application process, Tanmayee is preparing to do her arangetram next summer before departing to college in the Fall. She finds joy in dancing, and is excited to be participating this year in Vision-Aid. Thivya Sivarajah learned Bharatanatyam under Smt. Vidya Babu in Hoffman Estates, IL. After completing her arangetram in 2019, she captained Duke University’s classical dance team for two years, performing across the country. Professionally, Thivya works as a Product Manager. This is Thivya’s first Vision-Aid performance and she is excited to take part in the production! Vaidehi Natarajan is 18 years old and pursues the art of Bharathanatyam under the guidance of Smt. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy and Kum. Kavya Muralidharan. Vaidehi also assists in teaching dance to the youngest students of Abhinaya Natyashala. In her free time, Vaidehi enjoys reading, and also likes to write short stories. Vanshika Kukunoor is currently entering 9th grade at Hopkinton Middle School. She has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy for 3 years and previously learned Kuchipudi for a year. She loves creating art, reading books, swimming, and playing the violin. The Narrators - Archana Selvaraj is a Dentist and entrepreneur serving US veterans in New Hampshire, she is a Bollywood fusion Choreographer, New England pageant winner and founder of Arja school of dance in NH. She is a passionate Bharatnatyam dancer currently learning under the guidance of Guru Smt. Jeyanthi Ghatraju at Natyanjali for the past 8 years. She is participating in Vision-Aid for the first time and very excited about this opportunity. Janhavi Wadhwani is a teacher of Yoga and Meditation with the Art of Living foundation and a mother of two teenagers. She did her Arangetram in Mumbai at the age of 15 years and continues to organize and support Bharatanatyam through the Vidyanjali School of Dance in Newton, sharing Indian culture with diverse audiences. The Adorable Junior Performers Anoushka Nair, a rising 5th grader, has been learning Bharatanatyam for the past three years with Smt. Sripriya Moorthy. Anoushka also loves singing (Western non-classical), doing Taekwondo, and diving into books or anything that sparks her curiosity. This is her 2nd time performing in a Vision-Aid production, and she’s super excited to be back! Aretha Aravind is a 5th grader. She has been training bharatanatyam under Guru Smt. Hema Iyengar for the past 5 years. Apart from dance, Aretha is also a swimmer, singer and an avid reader. She is excited to be a part of Vision-Aid. Dhruv Koganti, is a rising 5th grader. He loves playing basketball, tabla and drums, making origami crafts and solving rubix cube. He enjoyed participating in the 2024 Vision-Aid production and serving its mission. He is very excited to be a part of the Vision-Aid production for the 2nd time. Maedha Naluvala, a rising 5th grader, has been learning Bharatanatyam from Smt. Jeyanthi Ghatraju for the past 4 years. She is passionate about dancing, reading and painting and very excited to be part of a Vision-Aid event for the 3rd time. Nishka Aabha Swayampakulaa is a vibrant 4th grader at Hopkins Elementary School and has been passionately learning Bharatanatyam from her Guru Smt.Sapna Krishnan. Beyond dance, she is also an enthusiastic gymnast and a proud holder of Karate 1st degree Jr Black Belt. Nishka is honored and looking forward to being a part of this year’s Vision -Aid production. Isha Dwivedi, a rising 5th grader, with a deep love for the classical Indian dance form of Bharatnatyam, has been honing her skills under the expert guidance of Smt.Jeyanthi Ghatarju,Isha is an avid reader who enjoys exploring a wide range of genres, a chess player, loves ice skating and skiing and has achieved a blue belt in karate. Her love for books fuels her imagination and enriches her understanding of the world. Yashi Dwivedi is an enthusiastic and talented rising 2nd grader who has been learning Bharatnatyam from Guru Jeyanthi Ghatraju for the past 3 years. Her dedication to dance is matched by her love for sports. Yashi is an active soccer player, a keen chess enthusiast, and has achieved a blue belt in karate.Both Isha and Yashi were proud members of the Vision -Aid dance team in 2023. Their experience was incredibly enriching, and they are thrilled to return and contribute once again. Vision-Aid warmly invites sponsors and Advertisers Why Sponsor? · Enable the visually impaired to gain independence. https://visionaid.org/news/sarvasiddi-neelakantam-a-journey-of-determination-and-success/ · Educate the visually impaired to learn advanced skills. Meet our recent Digital Accessibility Testing graduates For more details of the show on July 27th, 2025, to buy tickets, or to become a sponsor, please visit www.VisionAid.org/event
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