Family Spirit
Every student, teacher, and patron is part of one extended family — bound by shared devotion to art and to each other.
1000+
Performances
20+
International Shows
16
Years of Legacy
40+
National & International Awards
Bangalore, India · Est. 2003
A Legacy Forged in Devotion
Kailasa Kaladhara Cultural Organisation was founded with a singular conviction: that India's classical performing arts are not museum artefacts, but living disciplines capable of transforming lives, communities, and nations. Under the visionary guidance of Smt. Vid. Dr. K. Jayalakshmi Jithendra Bhagavat — holder of an honorary doctorate and a master of Bharatanatyam — what began as a humble school in Bangalore has grown into one of Karnataka's most recognised and respected institutions.
Over two decades, our students have performed on the grandest stages in India and across five continents. From intimate arangetrams in Bangalore to commanding the stage at Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav before Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi — and from Atlanta to Melbourne — Kailasa Kaladhara carries the weight and beauty of India's civilisational heritage wherever it goes.
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The Guru
Smt. Vid. Dr. K.
Jayalakshmi Jithendra Bhagavat
Founder · Artistic Director · Motivational Speaker
Beginning her journey in Bharatanatyam at the age of five, Dr. Jayalakshmi Jithendra Bhagavat has devoted over five decades to mastering and transmitting the classical arts of India. Her journey is one of relentless discipline — from the gurukul floors of Bangalore to receiving an honorary doctorate from the United States — and of unwavering devotion to the transformative power of classical dance.
A motivational speaker and spiritual persona, she guides not just the technical training of her students but their inner formation as artists and human beings.
- BAL LLB & BA in Dance — Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
- Master of Performing Arts (MPA) — Bangalore University
- Honorary Doctorate — conferred in the United States of America
- Doctoral candidate — Florida University (PhD, ongoing)
- Black Belt in Karate; proficient in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Contemporary, Yoga, and Martial Arts
- Named Best Dancer among 16 states of India — 2003
Kemepegowda Award 2019
Swarashree Award 2019
Arya Bhatta Award
40+ National & International Awards
What Drives Us
Mission & Values
To raise awareness of India's classical cultural heritage, empower communities through the transformative practice of the arts, and carry forward an unbroken tradition of excellence that serves both individuals and the nation.
Trust
Built over twenty years — between guru and student, between institution and patron, and between art and audience.
Quality
100% distinction results in Board examinations. Uncompromising standards in every class, every rehearsal, every performance.
Teamwork
Classical dance teaches that a performance is never one person — it is a constellation of artists, musicians, and teachers moving as one.
Our Vision
To establish Kailasa Kaladhara as the foremost institution in India for the transmission and global promotion of classical performing arts — nurturing artists of complete depth who carry India's civilisational identity into every corner of the world.
Milestones
A Chronicle of Excellence
National Recognition
Best Dancer Among 16 States
Dr. Jayalakshmi Jithendra Bhagavat is recognised as the finest classical dancer across 16 states of India — the moment that defined the institution's founding ambition.
State Honours
Kemepegowda & Swarashree Awards
Dual recognition from Karnataka — the Kemepegowda Award and Swarashree Award — conferred in the same year, honouring two decades of service to classical arts.
Guinness World Record
Largest Bharatanatyam Lesson — 436 Dancers
Kailasa Kaladhara orchestrates the world's largest Bharatanatyam lesson in Chennai — 436 dancers performing in unison, earning a place in the Guinness World Records.
National Stage
Amrit Mahotsav — Performed for the Prime Minister
Kailasa Kaladhara performs at Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in New Delhi before the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi — India's most celebrated cultural and national anniversary.
International Presence
USA · Australia · Canada & Beyond
20+ international performances across AKKA Sammelana in Atlanta, JSS Auditorium in Maryland, Melbourne & Sydney in Australia, and Toronto, Canada — carrying classical India to five continents.
- Temple research field trips
- Dance workshops for healing
- Inclusive arts for differently-abled
What We Teach
Eight Disciplines of Mastery
Bharatanatyam
The mother of all classical Indian dance forms — a sacred convergence of nritta, nritya, and natya taught through the unbroken lineage of the gurukul tradition.
Kathak
Storytelling through the spinning form — footwork, spins, and expressive abhinaya form the heart of this classical tradition from North India.
Kuchipudi
The classical dance-drama form of Andhra Pradesh — combining graceful movement, intense abhinaya, and dramatic theatrical tradition.
Contemporary
A creative dialogue between classical forms and modern expression — developing artists with both traditional roots and contemporary vocabulary.
Carnatic Music
The classical music system of South India — training in vocal, rhythm, and raga to develop artists who understand dance from within the music.
Arts & Crafts
Developing the complete artist — visual art, craft, and creative practice that grounds students in India's rich aesthetic traditions beyond performance.
Martial Arts
Discipline, coordination, and strength — our Karate and martial arts training builds the physical and mental foundations for all classical arts.
Yoga
Ancient practices of breath, stillness, and embodied awareness — yoga grounds the dancer spiritually and physically for sustained classical practice.
Honours & Recognition
Recognised by India & the World
26
National & International Awards
2003
Best Dancer — 16 States
Honoured as the finest classical dancer across sixteen states of India
2019
Kemepegowda Award
Karnataka state honour for distinguished contribution to classical arts
2019
Swarashree Award
Recognising two decades of artistic leadership and cultural service
Perennial
Arya Bhatta Award
Celebrating excellence in science, arts, and cultural heritage promotion
2020
Guinness World Record
Largest Bharatanatyam lesson — 436 dancers, Chennai
Ongoing
Prime Ministerial Recognition
Performed at Amrit Mahotsav for the Honourable Prime Minister of India