Passion

“Hatred cannot be vanquished by hatred. The fractured world we live in today needs more empathy, more love to dissolve differences and understand the ‘other’. The most important life lessons I learnt were in my dance classes as a child, through the understanding of rasa (a form of empathy). This flame of understanding fuels every aspect of my work with people to trigger transformation.”

Profession

Sangeeta is a socially engaged Bharatanatyam and contemporary performer, choreographer, and teaching artist whose work has extended across more than 35 countries, reaching over one million people through performances, workshops, trainings, and community-based interventions.

She is the creator of the Katradi Method, of Empathy Based Social Transformation. Speaking over eight languages, Sangeeta is an internationally sought-after speaker and performer who has presented her work across theaters, conferences, universities, and communities, including the International Teaching Artists Collaborative (ITAC), People Dancing UK, and Tanz Triennale, Germany. Sangeeta holds a certificate in Mindfulness Meditation. She is the driving force behind all of Katradi’s Flagship Initiatives.

Sangeeta is also an Honorary Associate of the Nature Conservation Foundation. She serves on Internal Compliance Committees addressing gender and sexual harassment within institutions and corporate spaces. She has received several fellowships and awards, including the prestigious Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, India’s highest national honour for young performing artists.

Passion

“As a woman from my village, my caste, and my community I was told I needed to get married and have babies, but I always knew my path was different. I want to perform, to learn, to teach, to travel - to see the world and share what I know. I have fought to be where I am and will fight for others too.”

Profession

Thilagavathi is a Kattaikkuttu performer, lyricist, teaching artist, and social activist from Tamil Nadu whose work has transformed the lives of hundreds of young people within her community and beyond. Coming from Dalit background, she is widely recognised as the first woman to break into traditionally male-dominated Kattaikkuttu performance spaces, she went on to co-found and lead her own Kattaikkuttu theatre company.

She is the founder of Munnétram, a grassroots Kattaikkuttu initiative that has trained over 60 young people across three villages, creating access to rigorous arts training within marginalised rural communities. Alongside traditional performance, Thilagavathi has choreographed contemporary theatre works, all-night Kattaikkuttu productions, and arts-based community engagements rooted in gender and social justice.

She has received numerous recognitions for her artistic and social contributions, including the prestigious Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. She is widely regarded as one of the most powerful contemporary female artists emerging from Tamil Nadu today.

Passion

"I firmly believe that the limits of my mind are no greater than anyone else's, fostering profound connections with those around me. Life's quirks and oddities are treasures I cherish, celebrating beauty in every twist and turn."

Profession

Born and raised in vibrant Bangalore, India, Lakshmi embarked on her professional journey later in life, driven by a deep commitment to exploration, reflection, and personal growth. She holds master’s degrees in Sociology and Philosophy, and is deeply interested in people, ideas, communication, and questions of social justice.

In 2007, a car accident profoundly altered the course of Lakshmi’s life, resulting in quadriplegia. Years later, she began carving a new path for herself through work at the intersection of storytelling, systems, and social change, shaped closely by her lived experience.

People and books remain central to her life, grounding her in curiosity, learning, and connection. Through her work, Lakshmi hopes to contribute meaningfully to conversations and initiatives that create deeper social awareness and change.

Passion

"Dance is my greatest love! It always has been. Right from childhood, all my daily activities were accompanied by dance moves - whether it was, playing, cleaning, cooking or even bathing. My love for children and dance keep me happy. I want to continue working hard to help as many children as I can, as a way to express my gratitude and pay it forward.”

Profession

Moogambigai is an exceptionally talented Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher and facilitator from a family of traditional Kattaikkuttu performers in Kalavai Kootroad. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was part of Kaakkum Karangal, a youth volunteer collective initiated by Katradi to support relief efforts across villages in and around her community. Her commitment, leadership and dedication to community work stood out from an early stage.

She continued her engagement with Katradi as a facilitator and is now a full-time Bharatanatyam artist and teacher. She is also a certified yoga instructor. She teaches dance to children from marginalised communities, helping create access to high-quality arts education while nurturing confidence, discipline and leadership.

Through her journey as a young Dalit woman, she challenges social expectations placed on young women from her community and encourages others to pursue education and artistic expression with courage and conviction.

Passion

“I am driven by my love for cooking and teaching, finding immense joy in sharing my culinary skills and knowledge with others, inspiring and empowering women from similar backgrounds.”

Profession

Devi Periya has been associated with Katradi for a long time and has served as a part-time teacher, facilitator, and now, as a leader of the Women's Livelihood Programme. Exceptionally intelligent, she holds a master's degree in History and is a role model for the women and children in her community.