← Previous revisionRevision as of 09:16, 28 October 2026 Line 20: Line 20: }} }} '''Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair''' (25 May 1925 – 11 March 2013) was a performer of [[Kathakali]], who practiced the Kathakali art form for more than seven decades. '''Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair''' (25 May 1925 – 11 March 2013) was a performer of [[Kathakali]], who practiced this classical dance form for more than seven decades. ==Biography== ==Biography== His guru was [[Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon]], who was his only teacher in his entire career. Both hailed from [[Vellinezhi]], which is still known for producing many Kathakali artists in [[Palakkad]] district.[1] Ramankutty Nair had served at his alma mater, [[Kerala Kalamandalam]] and went on to become its principal. His guru, and his only teacher through his entire career, was [[Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon]]. Both hailed from [[Vellinezhi]], which is still known for producing many Kathakali artists in [[Palakkad]] district.[1] Ramankutty Nair later served at his alma mater, [[Kerala Kalamandalam]], and went on to become its principal. Born in 1925, Ramankutty Nair hailed from a family with no Kathakali pedigree. But Ravunni Menon, a resident tutor at the renowned [[Olappamanna Mana]] (a mansion of the upper-caste [[Nambudiri|Nambudiris]]), was an overarching presence in the cultural scene of the village, and Ramankutty Nair admired him and decided to study the art too. At [[Kerala Kalamandalam]], where he subsequently mastered the art, Ramankutty Nair later sculpted out several disciples, the most prominent among them being [[Kalamandalam Gopi|Kalamandalam Gopi,]] besides [[Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody]], M.P.S. Namboodiri, Balasubramanian and the late K. Gopalakrishnan.[2] Born in 1925, Ramankutty Nair hailed from a family with no Kathakali pedigree. But Ravunni Menon, a resident tutor at the renowned [[Olappamanna Mana]] (a mansion of the upper-caste [[Nambudiri|Nambudiris]]), was an overarching presence in the cultural scene of the village, and Ramankutty Nair admired him and decided to study the art too. At [[Kerala Kalamandalam]], where he subsequently mastered the art, Ramankutty Nair later sculpted out several disciples, the most prominent among them being [[Kalamandalam Gopi|Kalamandalam Gopi,]] besides [[Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody]], M.P.S. Namboodiri, Balasubramanian and the late K. Gopalakrishnan.[2]