Thejashwini Ramarao

About the Artist

Vidushi Thejashwini Ramarao is the director of Padma Paadam School of Performing Arts Inc., Maryland. Hailing from Mysuru, Karnataka, she brings over 34 years of experience in Bharatanatyam as an artist, instructor, choreographer, and scriptwriter. She trained in the Mysuru style under Guru Smt. Pankaja Ramakrishnaih and further refined her skills in the Pandanalluru style under Dr. Kripa Phadke. At 19, she earned her Vidwath degree (Master’s equivalent) in Bharatanatyam from the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board. A seasoned performer in both India and the U.S., she has served as an examiner for Karnataka’s dance board and as a judge at numerous dance competitions. Her passion also extends to delivering workshops and lecture demonstrations across the U.S. In Mysuru, she taught over 120 students at Basava Kendra for four years. After moving to the U.S., she taught at SBAT Alaya Nrithya, Ijamsville, MD, for seven years, guiding over 90 students and organizing cultural events and competitions. Thejashwini’s love for choreography is evident in her acclaimed dance productions like Acharya Devo Bhava and Vara Kavi. She is also passionate about nattuvangam, Indian history, and Samskrutham, which she studied for eight years and continues to teach through shloka and culture classes. She is a registered teacher and examiner with Akhila Bharatheeya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Pune, and a member of UNESCO’s International Dance Council (CID). An accomplished theatre artist and academic, she holds two master’s degrees, in Geoscience from the University of Iowa and in Applied Geology from the University of Mysore. Driven by a deep love for Indian culture and education, she founded Padma Paadam to foster a space where tradition and creativity thrive.