Guru A. T. Govindraj Pillai

Born on 22nd June 1914, in a family devoted to music and dance for generations, Guru Ayyampettai Thyagaraj Govindraj Pillai had first started his music lessons from Veerabhadra Pillai. Later he has been thoroughly trained in the intricacies of Carnatic music by the veterans Vidwan Markhanda Pillai and Vidwan Venugopal.

By sheer dint of hard work and intense devotion to the art, Guru Govindraj Pillai has reached the pinnacle of fame which very few could accomplish. It was just after he has married the only daughter of Bharatha Vidwan Kuppiah Pillai, that the genius of Guru Govindraj Pillai came to be recognized in the filed of dancing. Smt. Karunambal has been a great source of inspiration and of immense help to Guru Govindraj Pillai in imparting tuition to the students. He has amassed huge knowledge in Bharatha Natyam technique from the vast treasures of Vidwan Kuppiah Pillai’s erudite scholarship.

The longfelt need of the art lovers of Bombay for a traditional dance academy was at realized with the birth of sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir. With the blessings and active participation of Vidwan Kuppiah Pillai, Guru Govindraj Pillai founded this model dance academy in Bombay in early 1945 to propogate this art of Bharatha Natyam in its pristine purity, beauty and vigour.He has not only imbibed all that is to be learnt from great masters, but he has also succeeded in teaching this art to innumerable devoted students.

In recognition of his very distinguished and meritorious services in the field of Bharatha Natyam, The Tamil Nadu Sangeet Nataka Academy, Madras conferred on Guru Govindraj Pillai the prestigious title of ‘Kalaimamani’ and the award of the best Bharatha Natya Vidwan of 1971. Majestic in his nattuvangam and melodious in his singing, Guru Govindraj Pillai had conducted over 2000 arangterams and nearly 10000 concerts in India and abroad. Notable amongst these concerts include the prestigious performances in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in 1973, and in Sydney during the Sydney Festival in 1977. On the invitation of the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations he led a troupe of 30 artistes to Nepal where he presented the wellknown dancedrama”Vasanthavalli” in the year 1982. Unassuming, amiable, gentle Guru Govindraj was the embodiment of simplicity, sincerity, devotion and sterling character. His legacy is continued by his son Guru Vasant Kumar.