Methil Devika

Methil Devika
Born 18 January 1976 (1976-01-18) (age 40)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Occupation Dancer and Academic
Spouse(s) Rajeev Nair (divorced)
Mukesh (m.2013-present)
Children Devang Rajeev
Parent(s) N.Rajagopal ,Methil Rajeswari[1]

Dr. Methil Devika is a dance research scholar, educator, performer and choreographer who hails from Palakkad.

Biography

Dr. Methil Devika was born to Late N. Rajagopalam(Engineer, Mobile Systems, Etisalat/ Exserviceman) and Methil Rajeswari on 18 January 1976. Devika completed schooling from The Indian High School, Dubai, Pre-degree from Mercy College, Palakkad and Undergraduation in Commerce from Government Victoria College, Palakkad. In Government Victoria College, she was the Vice Chairperson of the college union in the academic year 1994-95. She was a candidate under the banner of CSU-Creative Students Union. Later she took Masters in Business Administration from Madras University with a first rank, and master's degree in Performing Arts from the Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkatta with a first rank and gold medal.[2] She completed her Ph.D in Mohiniyattam from Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu, 2013. She has also worked as lecturer in the Department of Post-graduate Studies(Mohiniyattam/Kathakali/Koodiyattam) and at the Research Department, Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University, Kerala. Also worked as Course Counselor at the Department of International Students, Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University. She is also active in Arts-in-Education and Arts-for-Specific Groups programs providing therapy through Arts for people with mental illnesses.

Devika has two elder sisters Radhika Pillai (Educator and Art Critic), and Methil Renuka who works as Editor, Forbes Woman Africa. Renowned writer Methil Radhakrishnan is her mother's brother. Writer V. K. N.'s wife Vedavathi is her mother's sister.[1]

Devika married Rajeev Nair in the year 2002 and they had settled in Bangalore. They have a son Devaang.[3] She and Rajeev divorced soon after Devang's birth. After her divorce Devika relocated to Palakkad. Devika opened a Dance School by the name Sripada Natya Kalari, in Ramanathapuram in Palakkad.

She married veteran actor and theatre thespian Mukesh on 24 October 2013. It was also the second marriage for Mukesh, who was earlier married to actress Saritha.[4]

Awards

She won the State honour Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award for Mohiniyattam for the year 2010[5] and the National Award Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Award instituted by the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy for the year 2007.[2] She also won the Devadasi National Award from the Government of Orissa in the year 2010. She received the Nirod Baran Award from West Bengal for her proficiency in dance theories and practice. Devika is an 'A' graded artiste in Doordarshan and was one of the youngest to be empaneled in SPIC MACAY(Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth), Delhi. She is an empaneled artiste with the Indian Council of a Cultural a Relations Delhi and has a fellowship from the same.

References

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