Awards and Titles

Guru Rajee Narayan is the recipient of several honours, awards and titles

1945

In 1945, she received the title of Kalavani (for Music) instituted by the then repertoire manager of HMV, Sri K.S. Iyer and presented by Prof. Sambamurthy, eminent musicologist.

Natya Nipuni

1954

Kalavani

1963

Natya Tilakam

1976

Shreshta Kala Acharya – Conferred by the Government of Madhya Pradesh & Madhuban, Guru Vandana Festival

1977

Guru Rajee completed 25 years as a guru. She was commemorated with a silver plaque by the then Mayor of Mumbai, Sri Murli Deora. Seen in picture are Vimla Patil, Guru Rajee, Murli Deora and eminent Kathak danseuse Damayanti Joshi.

1981

She received the title of Natana Kala Bhushanam from Shakti Arts, Chennai, when her disciple presented a complete margam of Bharatanatyam of Bharatiyar’s songs titled Bharati Pamalai.

1986

The Government of Madhya Pradesh and Madhuvan, a cultural organization, jointly hosted Guru Vandana Mahotsav in 1986, when she was felicitated and awarded the title of Shreshtha Kala Acharya.

1993

Lalitha Kala Ratnam

1996-97

Guru Rajee received the prestigious Rajya Sanskrutik Puraskar (Nritya) the Lifetime Achievement Award, from the Government of Maharashtra.

Nritya Kala Sudhakara was the title bestowed on her by The Music Triangle, Mumbai.

1999

Saraswathi Gana Nilayam, her alma mater, presented her with the title of Lalitha Kala Ratna. She was one amongst three of those seniors who had established their own dance institutions and were successfully propagating the art.

2001

Sanmargadarshi, conferred by Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam at the Silver Jubilee celebration of Dr. Jayashree Rajagopal’s Nrithyodaya

2006

Swar Sadhna Ratna, conferred by Swar Sadhna Samiti, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai

Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi Best Teacher of the Year Award, conferred by Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha

2010

Sangeetha Sikshamani, conferred by Vashi Fine Arts, Navi Mumbai

2011

Tagore Akademi Puraskar, Conferred by Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi

Guru Rajee Narayan was a rare combination of Bharatanatyam guru, musician, composer and choreographer, with the unique distinction of teaching not only Bharatanatyam, but also Carnatic Music, Natyasastra and Nattuvangam.