Sahana Raghuraman’s life has moved across borders, classrooms, and dance studios, yet the thread that holds it together has always been Bharatanatyam. Her story begins in New Zealand, where she was born and where the first hints of rhythm and storytelling took hold. At five, she walked into a dance class and felt the spark that would grow into something larger. She still remembers the sound of the mridangam and the way each gesture carried meaning far beyond movement. Under the early guidance of Dr Dhanya Sreekanth, the foundations of her dance journey were set.
Years later, in 2019, she joined Artham Natya and began learning under her guru, Dr Bhuvana Kannan, a relationship that has shaped her understanding of Bharatanatyam with depth and purpose. Dr Bhuvana’s training, grounded in classical rigour and an insistence on discipline and clarity, left a strong mark. “My love for this art started to grow,” Sahana says, a reflection that sits at the heart of her long preparation for her arangetram. Guided by her guru’s approach to theory, rhythm, and expression, she completed her Year 3 certification and started working towards the milestone that every dancer dreams of.
Then came a shift. Her family moved to Melbourne, and the stage she had imagined for years suddenly felt far away. The transition to online learning was difficult. “It was challenging at first,” she recalls. Connecting to an ancient art form through a screen required discipline that stretched her both technically and emotionally. Yet something in her held steady. “I discovered that dedication isn’t just about talent,” she says. “It’s about showing up again and again with heart.” Through those months of remote training, she found a new way to dance, relying on persistence and trust.
Her arangetram will now take place at Rani Seethai Hall in Chennai on Saturday 10 January 2026 from 6.00 PM to 8.30 PM, accompanied by an orchestra of respected artists whose presence will lift the performance with classical richness. Every piece in her repertoire carries its own weight, its own history, and its own role in the evening she has worked towards for years. Each composition chosen for the performance reflects her grounding in the classical structure of the art: Pushpanjali in Gambira Nattai; Vishnu Kauthuvam in Nattai; Shree Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam in Raga Malika; Bo-Sambho in Revathi; Kandhan Varnam in Kamas; and a lively Thillana in Amirthavarshini. These works have been choreographed by her guru, with Kandhan Varnam arranged by Kalaimamani Guru Sri Binesh Mahadevan.
Behind her stands an ensemble of artists who will shape the experience on stage. Vocalist Smt Chitambari Krishnamkumar will lead the music, with Dr Bhuvana Kannan on nattuvangam. Sri Danamjayan on mridangam, Sri Mudikondan Ramesh on veena, Sri Deva Raj on flute, and Sri Venkatasubramaniam on rhythm pad round out the orchestra, ensuring the performance captures the full classical soundscape.
Just as compelling as Sahana’s own path is the story of the family behind her. Her parents’ journeys began far from Melbourne. Her father, Raghuraman Kidambi Gopalan, grew up in Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu before building a career anchored in laboratory science. His work took him from Apollo Hospitals in Chennai to Auckland, then to leading a COVID-19 laboratory team during the height of the pandemic. His commitment carried him into the commercial sector and eventually to his current role as Technical Operations Advisor at RMIT University. Her mother, Dr Pavithra Raghuraman, began her career in research at CMC Vellore, moved to New Zealand inspired by the idea of becoming a research doctor, completed her PhD at AUT, and continues working in science with equal dedication.
Sahana describes her brother Tharan as the steady current of joy in the family, the one who lifts moods, celebrates every small moment, and brings energy to everything he does. His interest in chess and cricket keeps the household lively, and she laughs when she mentions that the family is waiting for the day he brings his mridangam skills into the mix.
At the centre of all this is her guru, whose own dance lineage traces back to Kalaimamani Smt Ranganayaki Jayaraman of Sri Saraswathi Gana Nilayam in Chennai. Dr Bhuvana’s training across India and her experience performing on global stages make her influence clear in her students’ approach to expression, movement, and thought. Her teaching draws from the Natyasastra and Abhinaya Darpanam, demanding not just performance but understanding. She brings her experience as a Creative New Zealand award recipient, lecturer, panellist, and reviewer into her classes, shaping dancers with a strong sense of discipline and curiosity.
Sahana’s upcoming arangetram is a reflection of all these strands. Her own perseverance, her family’s enduring support, and her guru’s guidance come together in a performance that marks transition as much as achievement. She has danced on stages in Auckland and Melbourne, explored styles from classical to hip-hop, and even begun choreographing. Along the way she has taught herself instruments including guitar and ukulele and studied Carnatic vocal music, finding ways to bring rhythm into her everyday life.
The night in Chennai will be a culmination of years of practice, but it will also be something more: a connection back to where her family’s stories began, a return to the city where her parents’ scientific journeys started, and a stage that links her to the tradition she has spent most of her life honouring.
You can subscribe to Sahana’s Youtube Channel.
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
Donate To The Indian Sun
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun
