Admissions 2025 Integrated Programmes

Department of Commerce

Dr. Aswathy Rajan

Designation : Assistant Professor

Qualification : Ph.D

Email-ID : aswathy@rajagiri.edu

Aswathy Rajan, Ph.D., is a distinguished dance academician and performer with a robust background in higher education and research. She serves at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous) as a Subject Matter Consultant for the Indian Knowledge Centre, contributing to the advancement of interdisciplinary curriculum development. She is involved in the Chief Minister's Nava Kerala initiative (CMNPF), furthering her commitment to integrating art into educational frameworks. Her career began as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Hyderabad (UOH) during her UGC JRF tenure in 2017, where she laid the foundation for her expertise in dance education.Dr. Rajan has held significant roles, including Research Guide at Kerala Kalamandalam. She also served as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Chief Minister's Nava Kerala initiative and has contributed as a Writer for SCERT textbooks, focusing on integrating art into educational frameworks.Previously, she was a Senior Lecturer in Performing Arts at Jain University in Kochi from 2020 to June 2023. With numerous accolades, including the Kuchipudi Yuva Prathibha Puraskar and the Dashaprana Natya Mayuri Puraskar, and the Award of Junior Research Fellowships to Outstanding Persons in the Fields of Culture from the Ministry of Culture (2019-2022). Dr. Rajan is recognized for her artistic contributions and research impact. She has published three books and over 24 research papers, specializing in dance pedagogy, performance studies, and the intersection of art and education.

  • Chief   Minister’s       Nava   Kerala Post    Doctoral Fellow
  • Ph.D. in Dance
  • UGC- NET & JRF in Qualified Dance(2015)
  • Masters’ Degree in Performing arts (Dance - Kuchipudi)
  • Bachelors’ Degree in Performing arts (Mohiniyattam)
  • Kerala Higher Education council- Post Doctoral Fellow June,2023- to Present 
  • Faculty Coordinator Performing Arts, From Nov 2023 Griffin College London
  • Senior Lecturer in Performing Arts International School of Creative Arts, Cochin April,2021- to June, 2023
  • Senior Lecturer in Performing Arts International School of Creative Arts, Cochin Nov,2020- to April- 2021 Lecturer in Contract for B A Hons’ Performing Arts University of Hyderabad (Teaching Assistant) 2017-2018
  • Teaching Assistant for Kuchipudi practicum for PG Students at Sarojini Naidu School of Performing Arts and Communication. University of Hyderabad (Teaching Assistant)2018-2019
  • Handled a portion of Art Theory and Aesthetics for PG students at Sarojini Naidu School of Performing Arts and Communication
  • "Exploring the Creative Pedagogy through the Performative Wisdom of Living Treasures" CMNPF, Kerala Higher Education Council 2023-Present
  • “The Guru Dogma augmented through ages; conceptualization and expansion of the Guru figure as postulated in Mohiniyattam Pedagogy: A comprehensive Study.” Award of Junior Research Fellowships to Outstanding Persons in the Fields of Culture, Ministry of Culture 2019-2022
  • Published “Touch, Spatiality and Balance; Exploring the Coalition of Movement and Freedom in a Kuchipudi-trained body” in Sasthra, journal of the University of Silicon Andhra vol3, 2021.
  • Selected “Decoding the circular symbols and motives of different shades of Kali (Folk- cultural Games/ performances) of Kerala: A Critical Scrutiny” for the upcoming Routledge Publication, Handbook of the History of Communication in India Edited by Roshni Sengupta and Chandni Sengupta.
  • Published “From ‘Guru-mukha’ to Contemporaneity”; Metamorphosing Divergent Trajectories of Mohiniyattam Pedagogy and Performativity" the special issue (July-2021): Theatre, Dance and Performance Training Journal of the Routledge International Publication (Peer-reviewed).
  • Published "The status of Dance Education (Indian Classical Dance Studies) in Indian Academia today: A study" 'Research and Pedagogic International InterventionInternational Peer reviewed "Dance pedagogy in the digital age: changing contours of tradition."in the July 2018 Edition of ' an Journal.
  • Published in the research journal released in connection with the two-day International Seminar (6-7 Feb 2018) on Dance, Music and Media, conducted by the Dept. of Music, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram. (UGC Approved) 
  • Published “Analyzing the right-side brain; a dancer's perspective” in the dance journal of Telugu University in March 2017. (UGC Approved)
  • Published ‘Vempatti Chinna Satyam- Kuchipudiyude porulum Chaithanyavum’ in KELI (Feb-March 2013) in the official journal of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. (UGC Approved)
  • Published ‘Chau Nrithangal’ in ‘VINJANA KAIRALI’ the official journal of KeralaBhasha Institute, Vol No.44. (UGC Approved)
  • Published ‘A monumental studies on Indian Art’ in The Malayalam Literary Survey, English quarterly journal of Kerala Sahithya Akademi, June 2013. (UGC Approved) 
  • ‘Swathy Thirunal- Vaggeyakalayude Sarga Vaibhavam’ in Sahithya Lokam, Malayalam bi-monthly journal of Kerala Sahithya Akademi Oct 2013. (UGCApproved)

 
BOOKS

  • Authored “Mohiniyattam: Pedagogy and Performativity” published by Ivory Books,Thrissur in 2021, ISBN: 978-81-950129-9-2.
  • Authored “Kuchipudiyude Soundarya Sastram” published by Sadbhavana Publications, Trivandrum in 2021, ISBN: 978-81-951334-1-3.
  • Authored “Dancethesis: An Amalgam of Dance-perspectives” published by Sadbhavana
  • Publications, Trivandrum in 2021, ISBN; 978-81-951334-0-6 

ARTICLES IN ANTHOLOGIES & CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

  • Published "Indian Nrithamandalathil tagorean nayikamarude Swadeenam” (Malayalam)" in the Anthology of Performing Art (2020), published by Nrithyasree Foundation Palakad.
  • Published "Cults in Mohiniyattam: A Critical Analysis of the Methodology of Pedagogical Shaping and Re-shaping" in the Mohiniyattam Anthology (2021) edited by Dr. Kavya Krishna and Dr. Mythili Anoop and published by Kendra Sangit Natak Akademi, Delhi. 

CARDINAL ONLINE PUBLICATIONS

  • An article titled “Life touches its core at the edge of a blood marked throne” on the monthly newsletter (Jan 2021) of International School of Creative Arts, Jain University, Info Park.
  • “Performance review on Leela Samsons’ dance production-Nadi titled “A River retreat in the Blazing Summer” in Athma Online Portal on 3rd April 2017.
  • “Ulay; A brand of Fire and Blood” in ATHMA Online    portal    on    3rd    March,    2020. 
  • “Decameron: To our world, bolted out with Robes” in Kalunk Online poetry platform. 
  • “Brilliance and Grace; A thanks-note from an artiste” in ATHMA Online portal on 15th Nov, 2020.
  • “Isadora; A tribute in Verse” in PADMA Online art platform on 26th May,2020. 
  • “Udalpeyth” (TRANSCREATION OF COHEN’S DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE)
  • Presented “Decoding the Circular Symbols and Motives of Different Shades of Kali (Folk-cultural Games/Performances) of Kerala: A Critical Scrutiny” at the 3 Day National Youth Conference on Indian Knowledge Systems, organized by Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth on May 15-17, 2024.
  • Presented “Bindi Unveiled: Tracing Cultural Origins, Performative Evolution, and Symbolic Significance through the Lens of Indian Classical Dance" at International Conference "Modernities Redefined: Perspectives from South Asia" scheduled to take place on 22nd and 23rd February, 2024 at GITAM University, Bengaluru.
  • Presented “Unveiling Subtle Elitism: Unconscious Manifestations in the Symbolism, Performance, and Setting of Indian Dance Culture” at the International Seminar on Comparative Literature Ever-in-the-Making on 18th December 2023.
  • Presented “A Performative perusal on the emotive scapes of select love poems of three continents” at the International Theatre Conference ‘New Narratives: Performing Arts, Film and Fine Arts’ held on 10th, 11th, and 12th March 2022.
  • Presented “Multimodal Renderings of Tribal songs: Politics and Polemics of Popular Culture”at the National Research Webinar ‘Different Dimensions of Music, Instrumental and Dance held on 27, Feb, 2022.
  • Presented “Revisiting the Wisdom of Nature through the Practice and Praxis of Tiruvatira” atthe at the Indian Anthropology Congress-2022, arranged by University of Hyderabad and INCAA, Hyderabad on the dates 21,23 Feb, 2022.
  • Presented “Expression and Emotion: Exploration through the shades of love in Cavafy, Nerudaand Sam Shepard” at the at the Inter National Conference on Love: SICON, arranged by KSHEC and St. Theresa’s Autonomous College, Ernakulam on the dates 11,12,13 Jan, 2022.
  • Presented “Folk Roots and Creative dynamism in Mohiniyattam Performance '' at the at the National seminar "Thiruthali: Folklore Text and Performance" arranged by School of Letters and Folklore Academy on the dates, 24,25 Nov, 2021.
  • Presented “Epistemology of Mohiniyattam Movement Concepts: A brief Analysis “at Presented “Acting and Cognition in the realms of movements in Kuchipudi Dance”
  • “at the International Conference at Thrissur organized by School of Drama, Calicut University
  • on 13,14, 15 January, 2020.
  • Presented “Body and textual politics of Mohiniyattam: An analysis”. At National Seminar on
  • Problematizing Gender in the scenario of Indian Classical Dance at Kalady organized by Dept. of Dance, SSUS on 26, 27, 28 February, 2020.
  • Presented a paper on the “Cultural Phenomenology of Mohiniyattam Movement concepts” at theInternational Folk film Fest- Seminar organized by Media Studies, St Thomas Collegeand IFFT, TCR on 12, Jan,2020.
  • Presented “Relevance of Dance in the dubious era of today’s cybernated- academe”. At the national seminar on significance of performing arts in educational institutions”, organized by Dept of Language and Culture, Govt of Telangana and Research Foundation for Devotional literary and cultural studies, Osmania University on 23rd March, 2019.
  • Presented “Changing contours of dance Behavior- from the connatural to the Communal: A critical Assessment” on the International Young Scholar’s Conference organized by the AKG Centre for Study and Research on 17 March,2019.
  • Presented “From ‘Text to Body’: Translating ‘Words’ into Codified-gestures” at International conference and Seminar on Text and Performance Making at Thrissurorganized by University of Calicut, School of Drama, Thrissur on 3rd,4th,5th January, 2019.
  • Presented “A Classical onslaught of Non-classical values / Transforming the un-Aryanized to Aryanized: A brief study upon the Vanished Tradition of Thiruvathirakali”
  • At the 26th All India Conference of FOSSILS and National Seminar on Folklore at the
  • University of Calicut, on 15th, 16th, 17th February, 2019.
  • Presented “The usage of Traditional Art Forms in the Pedagogy, Practice and Performance of Contemporary Theatre” at International Seminar on Creating thetext of Theatre in Contemporary Drama at Periya organized by Dept. of Malayalam,Central University of Kerala
  • on 6th,7thg,8th February, 2019.
  • Presented “Cultural values and Visual media: a peer-look upon the unsympathetic attitude of advertisements towards traditional performing art forms”. At National Seminar on Histories of Media and Performance: The Political, the Cultural, and the Deep Pasts' organized by the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication, University of Hyderabad on 14-15 March 2019.
  • Presented “Different facets of Dance Behaviour: An Analysis.” at International conference on Mixed Methods Research (ICMMR-2019) At Kottayam organized by School of Behavioral Science, Mahatma Gandhi University on 23rd and 24th February, 2019.
  • Presented “Status of Dance Education in Indian Academia Today: A study.” at National Seminar on Exploration of Theory and Praxis with Special attention on Bharathanatyam and Mohiniyattam Performances at Kalady organized by Dept. of
  • Dance, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit on 20th, 21st, 22nd February, 2019.
  • Presented "Dance pedagogy in the digital age: changing contours of tradition." in the two-day International Seminar (6-7 Feb 2018) on Dance, Music and Media, conducted by the Dept. of Music, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram.
  • Presented ‘Tagorian Nayikas in Indian dance scenario’ in a UGC sponsored nationalseminar on Performing arts organized by the Department of Malayalam, Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur.
  • A talk on world dance day in All India Radio Thrissur, Broad Casted on 29th April 2013 Recorded on 26th April 2013.

Delivered a three sessions’ interactive lecture on ‘The use of Dance knowledge in Class rooms’ for the teachers of LP, UP, HS and HSS on 31st January, 2020, at the Govt. College of Teacher Education, Thalassery.
Conducted an intensive workshop on Kuchipudi on 30th April, 2017 atAngadippuram, organized by Nrityakalakshetra, Angadipuram.
Conducted and led a workshop on Kuchipudi and Art appreciation on 13th June 2016, Saturday as a part of the monthly “Vayojana Yuvajana Sangamam” organised by Thanal Charitable Trust at Thanal Campus, Kiralur.
Conducted and lead a three-day workshop on “Understanding Dance as a Human Instinct
and Behaviour” from 29th December 2016 to 31st December 2016 at Thanal Campus, Kiralur on the basis of daily three hours in the morning sessions of the NSS Special Camp of DHSE NSS Unit No. 483, Sreekrishna HSS, Guruvayur.
Delivered a session on’ Harvard Referencing style and Citation for the PG students of University of West of Scotland of ISCA, Cochin held online on 28th March, 2022.
Delivered around 50 sessions of UGC-NET Coaching in Dance for 34 dance aspirants from 21st Aug,2021 to 11th Oct, 2021.
Delivered around 50 sessions of UGC-NET Coaching in Dance for 30 dance aspirants from 21st July,2021 to 25th Sep, 2021.
Delivered a session on’ Dance and Education as part of ATAL-FDP on Art and Drama in
Education organized by the Govt.College of Teacher Education, Thalassery on 30 Dec, 2021.
Delivered    a session on’ Kuchipudi’ for the Seminar Series Rasa-Pradhan held online organized by SDM Dance Academy on 7 Nov, 2021.
A session on’ Kuchipudi: History and Aesthetics as part of the elective course  organized by the Dept of Mohiniyattam, SSUS, Kalady on 22 Oct, 2020.
Delivered a talk on Kuchipudi Dance Aesthetics in the series of “Let's Talk About Dance”, arranged by RLV- Male Artistes’ Group on 13th Sep, 2020.
Delivered a lecture as part of the Course “Science and Liberal Arts - III - Introduction to Semiotics and Principles of Visual Experience.” for the D School, Jain Deemed to be University, on 25th August 2021.
Delivered a lecture on Cultural Phenomenology of Mohiniyattam Movement Concepts in Danceathon- 2 an online lec-series by TIDE, The Indian Dance Experience on 2nd June, 2020.
Delivered “A journey through the Aesthetics and Theoritical Body of Natya Sastra” as part of DTS ACT Webinar Series organized by the Dept of Theatre, Christ Demmed to be University, Bangalore on 27th May,2020.
Delivered a three sessions’ interactive lecture on ‘The use of Dance knowledge in Class rooms’ for the teachers of LP, UP, HS and HSS on 31st January, 2020, at the Govt. College of Teacher Education, Thalassery.
Delivered a lecture on ‘the history of Mohiniyattam’ as part of the course of MPA(2017 Batch) at the Dept of Dance, University of Hyderabad on 26th April,2019.
Delivered a lecture on ‘the aesthetics of Kuchipudi’ as part of the National Seminar on Indian dance forms conducted by St. Alberts College Autonomous, Ernakulam on 22nd
November, 2019.
Delivered a three sessions’ interactive lecture on ‘The use of Dance-knowledge in Class rooms’ for the teachers of LP, UP, HS and HSS on 15th November, 2019, at theGovt. College of Teacher Education, Thalassery.