Jagyaseni Chatterjee is a Bharatanatyam artiste, writer, researcher and educator based in Chennai, India. With over two decades of experience, she brings together performance, pedagogy, cultural research and writing in a deeply interdisciplinary manner.
Jagyaseni settled in Chennai soon after her Masters in Human Rights from Calcutta University and a B.Sc in Geography from Loreto College.
Her artistic and academic journey reached a turning point when she came under the tutelage of Dr Lakshmi Ramaswamy, Founder-Director of Sri Mudhraalaya (Estb 1993) – a premier Bharatanatyam institution. With her guidance Jagyaseni emerged as a promising soloist and a senior performer in the repertory group. With her encouragment, Jagyaseni completed her MA in Bharatanatyam from the University of Madras. Her doctoral thesis from Kancheepuram University that suggested 15 ‘New Nayikas in Love’ apart from Bharata’s Ashta Nayikas is an innovative thought and contribution to dance academics.
She is currently a Senior Faculty and Head Administration at Sri Mudhraalaya, and actively assists in teaching, production and digital outreach.
She is an empanelled artist with the South Zone Cultural Centre, a graded artiste of Doordarshan, and has performed solo at major dance festivals such as Krishna Gana Sabha, Narada Gana Sabha, Brahma Gana Sabha, Natyanjali Festivals, Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Karthik Fine Arts, and the Uday Shankar Festival, Kolkata. She has performed at the Colombo Natyanjali Festival in Sri Lanka and has been conferred titles such as Nadanamamani (Karthik Fine Arts), Natya Ratna (trinity Arts), and received the Vrindrani Award, Natya Kala Sundari (Nanganallur Sabha), Best Dancer (Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha) and the Special Commendation from Bharat Kalachar.
A passionate arts educator, Jagyaseni has conducted workshops and storytelling sessions at institutions such as IIT Mumbai, Dakshin Chitra, and Chembur Fine Arts, as well as international digital events. Her creative research includes papers on Nayikas, Sthanakas, and Oothukadu Venkata Kavi presented at reputed academic forums including RASA, Prayathnam, MGR Janaki College and Reva University.
She is trained in Kuchipudi at the Kuchipudi Art Academy, and performed in dance productions choreographed by Padma Bhushan Vempati Chinna Satyam. Additionally, she holds training in Mohiniattam and Rabindrasangeet, reflecting her multidisciplinary roots in Indian classical arts.
A former board member and West Bengal representative of SPICMACAY (2003–2006), she has curated major initiatives like The Indian Dance Experience YouTube channel and served as the Chief Editor for Sangeetha Sarathy, the dance-music newsletter of Parthasarathy Swami Sabha.
