2008
Click on images for enlarged version
The Dhananjayans received the Award of Excellence - Life time achievement award along with Padma Subrahmanaim from Kartik Fine Arts on December 27, 2008
Hon. Home Minister P. Chidambaram released the Kalaa-Saadhana film on The Dhannajayans by Radhika Shurajit produced by Utsav Music on Dec 12, 2008 at the Bharat Kalachar Margazhi Utsav inaugural function.
The Dhananjayans and Padmarani Rasiah gave their final Bharatanaatyam program titled "Bhakti Maargam" in their fall tour of North America under the auspices of CMANA (Carnatic Music Association of North America) New Jersey. CMANA is one of the prestigious and oldest forum for promoting Carnatic Music in America and has honoured and felicitated stalwarts in the field of South Indian performing arts.
Click on images for enlarged version
CMANA felicitated and honored the Dhananjayans with a Life Time Achievement award and presented a plaque of honor cited as under:
PLAQUE INSCRIPTION
LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AND HONOR
CMANA
SRI VP DHANANJAYAN AND SMT.SHANTA DHANANJAYAN
CMANA respectfully felicitates THE DHANANJAYANS on the special occasion of their grand dance program for CMANA on "BHAKTI MAARGAM" at the conclusion of their farewell performances in North America . CMANA also recognizes this dance couple for their LIFE TIME contributions and achievements in the related fields of Bharatanaatyam and Carnatic Music.
signed by: Mr. Sankar Narayanan (President) Mr.P.S.Venkatraman (Vice President)
Mr. Aravind Narasimhan (Secretary) Mr. Som Sowmyan (Treasurer)
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
THE CARNATIC MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA Inc., NEW JERSEY,
NOVEMBER 2, 2008.

The Dhananjayans gave a soul stirring "Bhaktimaaragam" performance for a full complement of Rasikas at the Forum Theatre in Metuchen, New Jersey on 2nd November 08 and brought tears to the eyes of the audience who gave a five minutes standing ovation. The audience also pleaded with the Dhananjayans to return, calling this the �last� in the FIRST farewell tour! The Dhanajayans obliged by performing two more items requested by the connoisseurs of CMANA members -- The Pregnant Deer and Varugalamo Ayya..
India Fine Arts-Austin (USA) (IFA) honoured and awarded the title of "Nritya Saamsraat" to Dhananjayan and "Nritya Saagara" to Shanta Dhananjayan, recognizing their contribution to the preservation, popularization and propogation of Indian Arts and culture in North America for the last four decades.
On October 12, 2008, IFA hosted their American farewell performance at Travis High school Auditorium before a discerning connoisseur audience who gave a long standing ovation to this couple and thier senior disciple Padmarani Cantu. At the end Mr.Nagarajan (the president of IFA) presented the surprise award and honour to the Dhananjayans whose first performance in America in 1976 was presented in New York. Obliging the requests of the connoisseurs, 90 minutes performance was extended to 150 minutes.
On August 30, 2008, monthly music journal Naadhabrahmam honored the Dhananjayans with the NATANA PRAKAASAM title at the Music Academy, Chennai, for their contribution to art for over 60 years and to mark 40 years of their dance institution Bharatakalaanjali. This year also marks the 70th birthday of guru V P Dhananjayan. A special edition of Naadhabrahmam was released with focus on the Dhananjayans. A one hour film on the Dhananjayans titled Kalaa Saadhana directed by Radhika Shurajit and Churchill Pandian was screened.

NAADHABRAHMAM a bi-lingual musical monthly and Music Sabha launched the three in one event. 60 years on the center stage (Dhananjayan entered the center stage in his 5th year as a child actor, singing and acting in the role of a child hero in the Malayalam Sangeeta Naatakam, titled 'Balagopalan'), 40 years of founding BHARATAKALANJALI (1968) and Dhananjayan at 70.
So 60 + 40 = 70.

On 30th August at 5.30pm, a galaxy of great personalities from different walks of life who have been admirers and well wishers of the Dhananjayans, adorned the Madras Music Academy precinct. Felicitations to the doyen of Bharatanaatyam commenced with a DVD presentation prepared by Radhika Shurjit (the senior most alumni of Bharatakalanjali) preceded by a Swaagata Nritta (Welcome dance) by 40 children (representing 40 years of Bharatakalanjali) from different schools run by Bharatakalanjali alumna and 'Nritya-Tarangini' presented by the senior disciples of the Dhananjayans.

Naadhabrahmam Magazine brought out a special issue on V P Dhananjayan with pictures spanning 50 to 60 years of his dance career and articles by well known people and others who have been associated with him for years. This issue was released and distributed free of cost on the day of the function.
Photos
"KALAA-SAADHANA" - a short film about the Dhananjayans produced by Radhika Shurajit (senior disciple of The Dhananjayans) will be available in DVD format at the subsidized price of
Rs.150.00 per copy in India (plus postage) or
$20 (plus postage) outside India.

This film was first presented on 30th at Music Academy and both the film and the producer received accolades from viewers. The DVD will be formally released on the inaugural day of Bharat Kalachar December Art Festival on 12th December, 2008.

The DVD will be also be available during the fall tour of The Dhananjayans in the USA & UK. For more details kindly contact  spcherub@gmail.com.
Note: This is not a commercial release.
The Dhananjayans received Integral Yoga� International
Lifetime Achievement Award and
Title of Satchidananda Natya Choodamani

Swami Asokananda (President) and Swami Karunananda (Vice-President) conferred the distinguished honors of Integral Yoga International�s Lifetime Achievement Award and the title of �Satchidananda Natya Choodamani� upon the legendary Bharata Natyam couple of Chennai, Sri V.P. and Smt. Shanta Dhanajayan on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Natya Adyayana Gurukulam of the Fine Arts Society of Yogaville. These distinguished artistes have been conducting the Gurukulam each summer in U.S.A. since 1989. Children from around the country take part in the Gurukulam in which they receive training in the classical Bharata Natyam system along with the �3Ds� (discipline, devotion and dedication) imparted by His Holiness Sri Swami Satchidananda, founder of IY International.
The award and title were conferred upon The Dhananjayans: �In honor of the 20th Anniversary of the Natya Adyayana Gurukulam of the Fine Arts Society of Yogaville and in recognition of a lifetime as exemplars of the ideals of Discipline, Devotion and Dedication; for serving as cultural ambassadors from Bharata Varsha to the U.S.A. and throughout the world as masters of the spiritual art form of Bharata Natyam; and as outstanding artistes and educators planting seeds of inspiration, culture and hope for future generations.�
Other awards conferred the same evening were to Fine Arts Society founder Mrs. Rukmini Rasiah who received the Integral Yoga International Lifetime Achievement Award and title of �Guru Seva Ratna� (her grand son Kannan received it on her behalf ) as well as Mrs. Padmarani Rasiah Cantu, Natya director of the Fine Arts Society. Mrs. Rasiah Cantu received the Integral Yoga International Award of Excellence and title of �Satchidananda Kala Ratna.�

Vijnarani Vasudevan, a senior student of the Dhananjayans, won the All India Bharatanaatyam competition in the senior slot, conducted by Concern India Foundation on 24th January 2008, at Narada Gana Sabha. Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam gave away the prizes. There were three categories of competition - Senior / Junior / and group. Vijnarani Vasudevan bagged the first prize for the senior slot.