Aishwarya Warrier

Aishwarya Warrier (also spelled as Ayswaria Wariar) (born 1975), is a Mohiniyattam dancer, art educator, choreographer, and researcher. Born in Calicut, Kerala, Ayswaria grew up in Mumbai and later settled in Vadodara, Gujarat. She was initiated into the art of Indian classical dance at the age of five by her mother, Sreebala Menon. As a child, Ayswaria was also a voice over artist, working under the guidance of her father, Mukundan Menon, who was a speaker and script writer at the Films Division of India. Subsequently, Ayswaria trained in the two styles of Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam under eminent Gurus such as Dr.Sucheta Bhide Chapekar, Udyogamandal Vikraman, and Kalamandalam Saraswathi. Ayswaria learnt the finer aspects of netrabhinaya from Margi Usha, and she obtained guidance in Sopana Sangeetham under Padma Bhushan Kavalam Narayana Panicker. She is the artistic director of Nrityodaya School of Classical Dance, Vadodara, Gujarat and the Director at Ayswaria's Institute for Creative Expression (A I C E), Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Education

 * 2019- Doctor of Philosophy in Dance, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.
 * 1999- Master of Arts – (Performing Arts – Dance), Savitribai Phule Pune University (earlier known as University of Pune)
 * 1995- Bachelor of Arts, SIES College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Mumbai.

Career
2019- 2021- Aishwarya Warrier was the Regional Director for Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Regional Centre, Vadodara. In the year 2016, Aishwarya Warrier directed and produced a Mohiniyattam dance film titled, “Nilima – beyond the blue…. an exploration”, which is based on a sublime poem by renowned author and musicologist, Mali Madhavan Nair. She has also acted in 65 episodes of Kana Kanmani (2021 TV series) aired on Surya TV. Ayswaria Wariar has performed both in India and abroad. She has made a contribution in increasing the awareness and appreciation of Mohiniyattam outside the limited geography of the State of Kerala, through her performances, talks and writings

Notable dance performances
Khajuraho Dance Festival; Central Sangeet Natak Academy's Uttar Poorva Nritya Parva & Amrit Swar Dhara; Nishagandhi Festival, Soorya Mohiniyattam Festival, Mudra Festival, Kerala Sangeet Natak Academy's Mohini Nrityathi Festival in Thrissur, Hyderabad, Calcutta, Guwahati, Malaysia and Singapore, Uttarardh Utsav at Modhera Sun Temple, Gujarat; Indo Bhutan Friendship – 50 years celebrations (ICCR Tour to Bhutan), Paju Book Festival, South Korea; Soorya Festival Tour to UAE &,    Festival Of India at Moscow, St. Petersburg and Pskov in Russia (ICCR Tour).

Notable choreographies

 * Bherkar Bherkar Jogmaya (2018): A unique amalgamation of visual media, folk & classical music and dance based on Gujarati Literature of the Charani genre.
 * Matha Gange Pranamamyaham (2015): A dance ballet in Mohiniyattam, where the river ganga is visualised as a Mother. The dancer narrates the river's story from past to present, as a Mothers reflection.
 * Shakti (2015): This is the dance of Prakruti, the kinetic energy. Shakti is based on Adi Shankaracharya's Soundaryalahiri. It is a group production in Mohiniyattam
 * Shakuntala (2012): Based on Mahakavi Kalidasa's “Abhigyana Shakuntalam”, it depicts the extremely beautiful character of Shakuntala. Ayswaria's interpretation of Shakuntala is a unique combination of nritta, nrityam and the entire panorama of emotions and agonies that even modern women confront.

Awards & Recognition

 * 2018-19 “Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar” for her contribution in the field of dance, awarded by Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy, Ministry of Culture, Government of Gujarat.
 * 2011-12 The Pravasi “Kalashree” awarded by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Ministry of Culture, Government of Kerala.
 * 2023 “Devadasi Rashtriya Sanman”, Devadasi Nrutya Mandir, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa
 * 2022 “Tarang Ratna”, Takshashila Nrityakala Mandir, Mumbai
 * 2018 Global Films Special Jury Award for Dance Film “Nilima – Beyond the blue…an exploration”
 * 2017 Yuva Sreshta Kala Puraskar awarded by BCKA, Bangalore
 * 2017 Adv. Sadashiv Rao Deve Puraskar awarded by Nritya Sadhna, Nasik, Maharashtra
 * 2021 “TOP” Grade Artiste of Doordarshan, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
 * 2019 Awarded Senior Research Fellowship, Ministry of Culture, Government of India
 * 2018 Recipient of SAARC Research Grant for Hindu Cultural Trails by SAARC Cultural Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
 * 2017 Empanelled Artiste for Festivals of India Abroad, Ministry of Culture, Govt. Of India
 * 2010 Empanelled as Established Artiste in the Indian Council For Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. Of India
 * 2013 Empanelled artiste for SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth)