Well-known exponent of classical Indian dance, Verushka Pather, was recently honoured with an Award Presentation by Shri Suresh K Goel, the Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and her respected Gurus, hosted by Hamsadhwani for their Non-Resident Indian Festival (NRI). She was honoured for her performance as well as her contribution and propagation of the Indian Arts in South Africa.
She performed for the inauguration of the NRI Festival on December 15 which celebrated the arrival of the first indentured Indians to South Africa 150 years ago.
“I am indeed honoured to receive this felicitation for all our artists in South Africa that have contributed immensely to the rich cultural heritage that we celebrate. A special Thank You to Mr. Anil K Sharan for his Letter of Support from the Indian Consulate and Kiru Naidoo for the Citation presented.”
The following is an extract from the citation by Durban political analyst Kiru Naidoo:
For Verushka, dance is communion with the Almighty. Her gurus and the various senior gurus the Dhananjayans have introduced her to; have been the pathway to serving God. Verushka Pather has had the great opportunity of receiving a fellowship from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi India. She has danced on three continents from her native South Africa to her ancestral home in India to North America. She has danced for ordinary people enchanted by the ancient scripts, movements, choreography and costumes of Bharata Natyam through to an audience with President Abdul Kalam through to the Gandhi Peace Awards in honour of the Nobel Laureate, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Under the guidance of her gurus, she has taken the high art of Bharata Natya to common and modern applications. The most fulfilling for her is working with children with special needs in schools and hospitals in South Africa. Her dance therapy techniques are received with great joy and bring enormous relief.
As a dancer, dance teacher and head of a school, Natya Ananda, Academy of Fine Art, she is a sought-after personality on the South Africa art scene. She has crossed over disciplines working with a number of artists and was rapturously received at South Africa’s leading dance festival, Jomba, annually hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
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