Dr.Ambika Kameshwar

Founder-Director RASA - Ramana Sunritya Aalaya. Kalaimamani Dr.Ambika Kameshwar is a noted danseuse, choreographer, vocalist, composer, scholar and teacher of international acclaim who has travelled the world sharing her art with all. She has choreographed over 50 dance dramas and more than 10 complete Bharatanatyam Margams. She has composed music for over 50 dance dramas and several devotional albums as well. She is a loved and respected teacher of classical dance and music.

Dr.Ambika is held by all in high regard as the Pioneer of Applying Theatre Arts as a tool of Holistic Development for people with multiple challenges. Has research and application in the field for three decades has taken the shape of a methodology now renowned as TAHD. Her PhD was on Natyabhinaya and she did her Post Doctoral Fellowship on the Application of Natya as a holistic developmental tool, as a Senior Fellow of the Govt. of India. She has guided PhD Scholars as a registered Guide of scholars pursuing their Doctorate degree at University of Kancheepuram, Department of Indian Culture Studies. She is currently a Guide in the Vels University, Chennai.

She served as a Member of the Advisory Board of PRASAR BHARTI & of SOUTH ZONE CULTURAL CENTRE till 2010, and as a Board Member of The KALAKSHETRA Foundation till December 2013.

She has been honored with several Awards, including the highest award of the Rotary – namely the ‘For the Sake of Honour’ Award, the Bharata Kala Ratna, Stree Ratna, Acharya Choodamani and the prestigious Kalaimamani Award for the year 2004 by the Tamil Nadu State Government, to mention a few. She was further awarded the Sirappu Kalaimamani Award by the Tamil Nadu State Government in 2020.

She has been soaked in the Ramana Movement from her infancy, is a core singer in Ramananjali from its inception and has composed the music for several dance dramas of the Centre. She has also choreographed practically all the dance dramas of RMCL playing the lead role in these productions as well.

Sri.Venkatesh N Deshpande

Venkatesh is an Electronics and Communication Engineer with an Executive MBA from IIM, Bangalore. He has worked for 3 decades in the IT and Engineering industries such as Wipro, ABB, Oracle, e4e. He has held Senior Management positions and managed Global operations of companies.

Venkatesh actively participated in social projects in Rotary and Round Table. He received Mantra Diksha from Swami Chidananda of Sivananda Ashram (Divine Life Society), Rishikesh. He attended a residential course at the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy, Sivanada Ashram, Rishikesh. His parents have been blessed in marriage by Gurudev – Swami Sivananda.

He has been practising meditation for over 4 decades. He joined RMCL in 2010 and is currently an Advisory Board Member of RMCL. Additionally, he is the President of Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi Research Centre. He regularly gives lectures in the Seminars and Workshops conducted by the Centre on the Life and Teachings of Ramana Maharshi and in the daily online Satsangs.