Bharathanatyam dancer Kirti Ramgopal has been training 13-year-old Krithika Krishnamurthy in dance for the last five years. Daughter of Krishnamurthy and Sarala, the domestic helps at Kirti’s family, Krithika grew up observing the dance classes at Kirti’s home, even as she would be enamoured by the elaborate costumes and make-up. “I knew she yearned to take her first step,” says Kirti who was delighted to see Krithika take a perfect Aramandi in her very first dance class.
Krithika, a student of St. Josephs Girls School at Cox Town, is gracefully lapping up lessons in Ganapathi Koutvam, Alarippu and Shabdam. Her deep involvement was recognised with a CCRT National Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture bagging a free training until she is 21. “She made it instantly in the huge list of 200 applicants from Karnataka,” says an excited Kirti, who took that extra step to help build a world for Krithika. “I want to continue with dance as my profession, perhaps that would be my worthy guru dakshina,” says Krithika.