Kuwait-Based Bharatanatyam Exponent Dr. Arundhati Singha John Awarded Doctorate in Fine Arts
Kuwait-Based Bharatanatyam Exponent Dr. Arundhati Singha John Awarded Doctorate in Fine Arts
Kuwait-based classical dancer, choreographer, and educator Dr. Arundhati Singha John has been awarded a Doctorate in Fine Arts (Bharatanatyam) by the University of Orange County, USA. With this recognition, she becomes the first person in Kuwait to receive a doctorate in Fine Arts in the field of Bharatanatyam, marking a significant milestone for the country’s cultural and performing arts community.
The doctorate has been conferred in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Indian classical dance, her academic and artistic rigor, and her sustained contribution to performance, choreography, and arts education across international platforms.
Dr. Singha began her formal training in Bharatanatyam at the age of four and later trained at the prestigious Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, one of India’s foremost institutions for classical arts. She further expanded her artistic practice under the leadership of eminent figures such as Smt. Mallika Sarabhai and Late Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai at the Darpana Performing Group in Gujarat, where she explored contemporary Indian dance and movement theatre.
In addition to Bharatanatyam, she trained in Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art of Kerala, and studied acting at the Roshan Taneja School of Acting in Mumbai. These diverse disciplines have informed her distinctive performance style, blending technical precision with expressive depth. Over the years, she has performed extensively in India and internationally, including across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, and has choreographed and directed more than 20 major productions.
Based in Kuwait, Dr. Singha is the Artistic Director of Nritta Dhyana – The Academy for Performing Arts, where she has played a pivotal role in nurturing classical dance education. She has trained students across age groups, guided multiple arangetrams in Kuwait and India, and introduced structured curricula that balance tradition with contemporary relevance.
Her recognition as the first recipient of this doctorate in Kuwait underscores the growing visibility of the country on the global cultural map and highlights the role of classical arts in fostering cross-cultural dialogue and heritage preservation.
