It was heartening to see numerous dance schools from across Tamil Nadu showcase their artistry in an evening of Bharatanatyam at Sasvatham Worldwide Classical Dance Festival 2025. Hosted by Sasvatam UK, founded by Jeyanthi Yogarajah and co-founder Bavithra Sivayogam, the organisation is dedicated to preserving and promoting Bharatanatyam. True to its Sanskrit roots—meaning eternity and continuity—Sasvatam identifies and nurtures young talent through performances, with part of the proceeds supporting charitable institutions.

Held for the first time in Chennai, the festival featured 22 dance teachers and 147 students presenting pieces from the Bharatanatyam repertoire in a Margam format. The sincerity and effort of each group made for an engaging experience. Chennai coordinator Vijaya Lakshmi oversaw the presentation.

Several dignitaries were honoured for their contributions to dance. The Sasvatam Kala Poshaka Award was presented to Priyadarsini Govind and Vidya Subramaniam, while the Sasvatham Extraordinary Service Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred on Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetty, Murali Mahadevan, V. V. Ramani, Pragash Subramaniam, and Sundari Sarvothaman. The Upcoming Bharatanatyam Dancer Award went to Kumari Anjali Vishwesh, a disciple of Anita Guha.