PHOcus – Photo Feature on upcoming artists (Kirti Ramgopal)

Sprightly movements * glowing, expressive eyes * lively * graceful * enormously energetic * dancing with joy * Words and phrases that pour forth from veteran viewers and discerning critics alike after watching Kirti Ramgopal on the stage.

Taking her first dancing steps in Bharatanatyam at the tender age of 7, Kirti Ramgopal completed her Rangapravesha at the age of 9 under able guidance of Guru Smt. Padmini Ramchandran and has been training under her for over a decade now. (Sangeet Natak Akademi), Bangalore; Kinkini Yuva Nrithyotsava, Bangalore; Dasara Mahotsava, Mysure; Bharat Kalachar, Chennai; Sprit of youth festival, Music Academy, Chennai and so on.

With her natural gift for rhythm, rhyme and expression, numerous awards, scholarships and prizes have easily come her way. She is a recipient of the “National Talent Search Scholarship from CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training), New Delhi and recently she bagged the prestigious Government of India scholarship for Bharatanatyam given by the Department of Culture, Govt. of India. Kirti has also secured the first prize at the 15th Yuva Sangeet Nrithya Mahotsava conducted at Andhra Pradesh by the South Central Zone Cultural Centre Govt. of India Undertaking. An auditioned artist of Doordarshan and Sun TV, she has appeared in TV productions of AVM and G. V. Iyer.

Characterized as having enormous energy and spirit, is it any surprise that she shines not just in dance but also in any other sphere she chooses to turn her attention to?

Well, as a student of Mount Carmel College, Kirti was the co-coordinator of the Indian dance Association. She was president of the Rotract club of Mount Carmel College and bagged best rotaractor award at the 5th South East Asian Rotaract Conference held at Agra in 1998.

Her current classmates in the MBA course at ICFAI, Bangalore must be amazed to see a bright, upcoming dancer coming to grips with the mundane world of business administration. An artist … A business professional??? Only a versatile person like Kirti could pull it off! Ah, yes, she also plays the veena. A girl of many gifts, truly!