The Founder and Director of Kerala Natya Academy, Kalamandalam Vimala Menon, is a doyen of Mohiniyattam. Trained under eminent gurus Chinnammu Amma, Kalamandalam Sathyabhama, and Thanjavur Bhaskara Rao, Ms. Vimala Menon also learnt learnt Kuchipudi dance as a student of Vempati Chinna Satyam and studied Thiruvathirakali under Malathi G. Menon.
It was when she joined Kalamandalam in 1960 that Ms. Menon realised that her movements were more suited to Mohiniattam than any other form of art. Her lifelong commitment to Mohiniyattam has gained her Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award, Kendra Sangeeta Nataka Akademi award and the Kerala Kalamandalam Award.
The Guiness World Record for presenting 1,200 Mohiniyattam dancers on stage is yet another feather on the danseuse’s hat. She also won the Senior Fellowship Award instituted by the Government of India’s Cultural Department for her research work in ‘Ramanattom in Mohiniyattam’.
More than four decades of tireless commitment and efforts to accomplish her goals saw nothing but success in the form of innumerable students worldwide and recognition. Ms. Menon has trained a large number of students in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam at various institutions including the Kerala State Jawahar Bala Bhavan, the Desseya Kala Kendram, and her own institution Kerala Natya Academy. Even though the modification that she made in the costume and presentation of Mohiniyattam raised certain eyebrows initially, it gained acceptance later.
Ms. Menon hails from Irinjalakuda and started learning Mohiniyattam and classical music when she was just 10 years from Thirupunithura Vijaya Bhanu and Carnatic music from Madhusuthanan Nair. She always yearned for learning dance at Kerala Kalamandalam and accomplished the same with a graduation from there. She started Kerala Natya Academy in 1972 with the vision of helping other aspiring dancers, no matter their caste or creed, and allowing them to fulfill their dreams. Under her guidance, Kerala Natya Academy has flourished and expanded its traditions and values to yet another beautiful country – Malaysia.
It was while working as a dance teacher in the Jawahar School at Neyveli Lignite Corporation, that she married Mr. K.P. Viswanatha Menon. After the marriage in 1966, she accompanied her husband to Bhutan where he was an officer with Bhutan government. She has a son, Vinod, and a daughter, Vinduja Menon, who acted in several Malayalam films, including Pavithram and Njan Gandharvan.
The love and support from her husband, who was the great-grandson of the late veteran malayalam poet ‘Mahakavi’ Vallathol Narayana Menon, who was the founder of Kerala Kalamandam, allowed Mrs. Vimala Menon to continue her explorations and experiments in the world of dance.
During her stay in Bhutan, Ms. Menon taught dance in the Bhutan Government School and performed South Indian Classical dance in many places.
