Sunadha

Sunadha is a unique cultural troupe established by Samarthanam a few years ago to encourage talent among visually impaired and economically marginalized youth. Sunadha provides a platform for budding dancers and musicians to undergo specialized training and perform in India and in countries across the world.

The artistes have broken down barriers posed by their disability and have earned much acclaim for their performances. The troupe is regularly invited to perform at prestigious events like the renowned Hampi Utsav and the Vishwa Kannada Sammelana in Karnataka. In 2010, the troupe bagged both the group and solo awards at the National Dance competition for the visually impaired.

During September and October last year, seven visually impaired Sunadha artistes performed over ten shows in the US, travelling to locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts, stunning audiences with their proficiency in Indian classical and folk dance.

The artistes go beyond their visual challenges to skilfully perform the following dance forms:

• Classical: Bharatanatyam
• Folk: Kolaata
• Contemporary: Deepanjali (Dance with Diyas), Vande Mataram, Shivam Shankaram Duet,  Vaishnavo Janato

Sunadha’s artistes endeavour to bridge the yawning cultural gap and the experiences they gain travelling around the world and meeting people go a long way towards building their confidence and creating opportunities for economic self sufficiency. Further, each new show contributes to the growing awareness about the abilities of the disabled.