She flies from Switzerland to obtain PhD in Bharathanatya

Twenty Three year old Sarah Gasser has came from Switzerland not only to learn our traditional dance form Bharathanatya but also to obtain PhD in it. Sarah who is quite passionate about Bharathanatya flew to India and has completed her Bharathanatya practice in Seniors with distinction.

Presently she is doing her Masters in Bharathanatyam at Music University in Mysore and has completed her first semester. After completing her Master's, she wants to pursue further and get a PhD in Bharathanatya connected with spirituality. She is a disciple of Dr Chethana Radha Krishna of Gurudeva Academy of Fine Arts.

Hailing from a family with music background, her father Ueli is a Music teacher at a Music University in Switzerland while her mother Theresia was a Bharathanatya teacher. She developed a keen interest in Bharathanatya while at the tender age of four.

She says, 'As my mother was a dance teacher, I naturally developed interest to learn Bharathanatya. In the meantime though my mother gave up dancing, my interest didn't end. Later, I joined classes for Bharathanatya near Master Keshav, hailing from Mysore, who teaches Bharathanatya in Switzerland. I did my Rangapravesham in 2008 and it is the most memorable moment in my life,' she added.

'Bharathanatya is a very rich art form and is quite vast to understand. Even though I am learning Bharathanatya for the past several years, there is still too much to learn. I want to show the world how rich this Indian art form is. I will do my best to master it and will open a dance school in Switzerland. I am very clear about this,' she added.

'Offering my services working with physically challenged children, I have earned some money which is sufficient to bear the expenses incurred for learning Bharathanatya. I have traveled across all over India to a lot of places but it was Mysore that I liked most. I feel that I was extremely lucky that I got this opportunity to learn Bharathanatya in Mysore. I am beginning to feel Mysore as my home town,' she said.

'While, I have noticed that most girls give up Bharathanatya after their marriage, some practice just to make a name. I feel even a life time is not enough to study it,' she added.

Dr Chethana Radha Krishna said that 'Sarah is a very hard working student and dedicated girl. She has learnt all the basics and she can perform mudras as well as recite Sanskrit Shlokas with equal ease. She has even learnt to speak Kannada quite fluently.'