Kottakkal Chandrasekharan
Kottakkal Chandrasekharan is a senior Kathakali artiste known for his portrayal of the virtuous pachcha and anti-heroic Kathi roles in the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India.[1] Born at Naduvattam near Pattambi in Palakkad district in 1945, he is a prominent disciple of the late Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair and Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair.His father is A.M. Kumaraswami Bhattathiripad and mother is P.V. Parukkutty Warassiar.
Chandrasekharan, who has been a product of PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal, has been its principal since 1996. His is noted for his equally portrayal of roles like Nalan, Bahukan, Bhiman, Arjunan, Ravanan, Duryodhanan and Keechakan. He has as performed Kathakali in all famous temples and clubs of Kerala and has participated in 'Kathakali Maholsavam', Asiad (1982) and other places of India like Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Surat, Bangalore, Bhopal, Andhra Pradesh (Puttaparthy) and Madras. Has performed in Loka Malayala Mela, Festival of India (UK in 1983, specially invited by British Council) and other foreign countries like Malayasia, Singapore, Indonasia (Ramayana Mela), China, Korea, Hong Kong and Switzerland.
He has won the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi award.Has received many other awards, consolation prize from Eranakulam Kathakali Club in 1963, Vazhenkata Kunchu Nair Award (Kollam), V.S. Sarma Endowment (Kerala Kalamandalam), Thulaseevanam Award of 1990 (Thiruvananthapuram), Alappuzha District Kathakali Club Award, S.B.T. Arya Circle Award (Kottakkal), etc. and also received the Honourship of 'Natyathilakam' and Veerasrunkhala in 1994 from Rajarajeswari Temple, Thaliparambu.
Chandrasekharan lives in Kottakkal with Wife Susheela, son Jithesh and daughter Jyolsna.(Contact:Chandrakantham, Kottakkal.P.O, Malappuram Dist, Kerala-676503, India)[2]