Meet our esteemed Founder & Director - Smt. Sanji Piranthapan
Smt. Sanji Piranthapan is an accomplished Bharatanatyam performer, choreographer, and educator, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Natya Kala Manjari Academy of Fine Arts, established in Toronto, Canada, in 2006. She began her training in Bharatanatyam at the tender age of five in India and later pursued advanced studies under the esteemed Acharya Prof. Sikkil Vasanthakumari, a distinguished disciple of the legendary Guru Adyar K. Lakshmanan, following the Kalakshetra bani tradition.
Smt.Sanji holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bharatanatyam and a Teaching Diploma from the University of Madras, Chennai, India. She also served as a Bharatanatyam teacher at St. John’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai, where she shared her passion for classical dance with young students. Now based in Toronto, Canada, Smt. Sanji Piranthapan continues to be a dedicated ambassador of Indian classical arts. Through her institution, Natya Kala Manjari, she has been nurturing and inspiring students while promoting the rich heritage of the Indian classical dance form, Bharatanatyam, within Canada’s multicultural landscape.
Smt. Sanji with her Guru - Acharya Sikkil Vasanthakumari
Smt.Sanji has performed at several prestigious cultural institutions in Chennai, including Narada Gana Sabha, Brahma Gana Sabha, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Karthik Fine Arts, The Music Academy, Pushpanjali Trust, Salangai Oli Trust, VDS Arts Academy, and the Muthukrishnan Memorial Club Cultural Talent Promotion Program.
Smt.Sanji has also performed at the renowned Natyanjali Festival at the Chidambaram Thillai Natarajar Temple, a sacred stage for classical dance. Among her notable recognitions, Smt. Sanji received the “Bharatham Award” in a Raj TV competition conducted by musician Mohan Vaidhya, brother of renowned Veena maestro Rajesh Vaidhya. She was also honored at the “Namaste India” Cultural Program in Japan (2017) and was featured and honored by Doordarshan during India’s 50th Independence Day celebrations in the program “Vandemataram.”
In 2026, she performed during the Mahashivaratri Festival at the Chidambaram Thillai Natarajar Temple and participated in the 15th Year Celebration of Marudha Natyanjali in Thiruvidaimaruthur, Tamil Nadu, continuing her artistic contributions on prestigious international and spiritual platforms.
With over two decades of dedicated performance and teaching experience, Smt. Sanji Piranthapan has received several distinguished titles and honors:
“Niruthya Vallabhi” — Bala Natya Manjari Trust, Chennai (2000)
“Natya Kala Choodamani” — Ganamukuntha Priya Trust, Chennai (2017)
“Uthama Siddhi Vidiyar” — Conferred by Acharya Prof. Sikkil Vasanthakumari during the Vasantha Kala Utsav celebrating her Guru’s 80th birthday, Chennai (2023)
“Seniwati” — Awarded by Malaysia Natyanjali (2024), meaning one who is wise and knowledgeable.
Award of Excellence for Vision and Creativity — Presented by the Sringeri Vidhya Bharathi Foundation, Toronto (2025) for the thematic production “Kalki”
“Kalemane Kalashree” — Presented by Kumar Performing Arts, Mysore, during the 69th International Nirantara Purandara & Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival (2026).
Through her academy, Smt. Sanji has successfully organized numerous Kinkini Poojas and Arangetrams, as well as thematic productions such as “Kalki" and "Kinkini Natham”. Through these initiatives, she upholds the traditional guru–shishya parampara while preserving and promoting the timeless heritage of Bharatanatyam. Her dedication to teaching continues to inspire and nurture the next generation of dancers and cultural ambassadors.
