Meenu Thakur is one of the leading Kuchipudi dance exponents and the recipient of the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Originally hailing from Saharanpur, U.P, Meenu Thakur was inducted into dance at an early age before she decided to take up the serious study of “Kuchipudi” the traditional dance style of Andhra Pradesh. Having been trained by renowned gurus based in New Delhi, Vishakapatanam and Hyderabad, like Padma Bhushan Swapnasundari, Natyacharya Pasumurthy Sitaramayya, and Padma Shri Guru Jayarama Rao and Vanashree Rao, Meenu has flair and grace for an efflorescent dance style like Kuchipudi. Meenu Thakur is one of the few danseuses who can perform Simhanandini, in which the dancer sketches the lion (Simhavahana) with the feet (Guru: Hamsa Kalaratna Voleti Rangamani of Guru C.R. Acharya tradition). Meenu Thakur’s Kuchipudi style represents a combination of the feature of “Purusha Sampradaya” (Original male dance tradition) of Kuchipudi and its “Anuroopa” (Transformation of the male dance style into female interpretation). She is a well known Kuchipudi performer of the day, having performed in various national and international fora with aplomb and refinement. She is an established empanelled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations & Festival of India, MoC, a ‘A’ Graded artist of Doordarshan. She is empanelled with SPIC MACAY.
Meenu Thakur is the Founder Director of SURAMYA, An Institution of Performing Arts.
