About

Introduction : 

Pooja hirwade is a Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi practitioner, performing artist, choreographer and educator. The disciple of Guru Smt. Ratnam Janardhanan, she started dancing at the tender age of four and completed her Arangetram in 2015. Holding a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Telecommunications and Masters of Fine Arts with specialization in Bharatnatyam, Pooja has to her credit numerous awards at state and national level in the field of art and culture especially Bharatanatyam.

She has been a recipient of scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India under the ‘Scholarship to Young Artists Scheme’ as well as CCRT Junior Scholarship. Pooja has travelled extensively all over India as a soloist and with her teacher’s troupe and performed in prestigious dance festivals.

With a keen interest to spread Bharatanatyam and to inspire the youth towards it, Pooja coaches dance aspirants at Pratibha Nritya Mandir as a senior teacher, at Department of Fine Arts, RTM Nagpur University as a lecturer and at Natraj Art and Culture Centre affiliated to Kavikulguru Kalidas Ramtek University.

Pooja's passion is not just limited to Bharatanatyam. Besides being a performer, she is also being trained in Carnatic music, flute and Kuchipudi.

Trainings and Guru Connect :

Pooja being an ardent lover of art, is also being trained in –

  • Karanas and Natyashastra under Guru Smt Sujatha Mohan (Bangalore), a senior disciple of Guru Padma Subramanyam 
  • Kuchipudi dance form under Guru Smt A P Niveditha 
  • Carnatic vocal under Guru Shri Siva Prasad N N from Mumbai 
  • Flute under the tutelage of Guru Kumar Babu from Vijayawada 
  • Special training in Bharatanatyam from eminent gurus like Mrs. Elora Bora and Mrs. Monica Chanda at a National training camp organized by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India at Shillong in March-2011 
  • Special training in Bihu dance from Shri. Bhavesh Kalita of Assam under the aegis of South-Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur. 
  • Attended various Bharatanatyam workshops conducted by: Smt. Shobana Bhalchandra, Chennai 
  • Abhinaya workshops of Bragha Bassels 
  • Intensive Workshop series by Dr. Janaki Rangarajan. 
  •  Nattuvangam workshops by Tala Vidwan Gurus like Shri Kiran Subramanyam

Presently working as :

  • Contributory lecturer for Bhartanatyam and Fine Arts at Dept. of Fine Arts, Nagpur University 
  • Senior Bharatanatyam Instructor at Pratibha Nritya Mandir, Nagpur
  • Lecturer for Bachelor of Performing Arts Course at Natraj Art and Culture Center affiliated to Kavikulguru Ramtek Sanskrit University 

Educational Qualification :

  • NET in Performing Arts – Dance  
  • Master of Fine Arts (Bharatanatyam) from RTM Nagpur University
  • BE in Electronics & Telecommunication from YCCE, Nagpur
  • Alankar Poorna in Bharatanatyam from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Miraj
  • Passed 2nd year Senior diploma Examination in Carnatic music with distinction conducted by Hindustan Art & Music Society, an esteemed examination board of Indian art and culture.