About us

Sri Yogaraja Kandasamy founded the Academy with the aim of developing and promoting Indian culture and it's spirit through classical Carnatic Music and such related activities, whereby it contributes positively to the principles of multiculturalism in Australia. As immigrant-parents of children growing up in a new and challenging environment, we all are concerned for our children's cultural development. To this end we have chosen, Indian Arts Academy with the vision of educating and training our children in traditional music.

Smt. Sivarubhini Yogaraja
Sivarubhini began her training in Bharatha Natyam at the tender age of six, under the guidance of guru Smt. Mangaiyatkarasi Alvarpillai in Point Pedro, Sri Lanka. Later on, she trained under Smt. Pamini Sithamparapillai and passed the fourth grade Bharatha Natyam examination, which was conducted by the North Ceylon Oriental Music Society. During this time, she had given many performances and had won awards. Sivarubhini also learnt vocal, veena and violin under the guidance of her mother, Smt. Thangaranee Kanagasabai. She also has further training in vocal and veena at Chennai under Smt. Padmavathi Ananthagopalan. After migrating to Australia, Sivarubhini continued the art of Bharatha Natyam under the tutelage of Smt. Renuka Arumugasamy.

However, she was complelled to give it up in order to complete her studies and later to read for a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Melbourne. During 1995, she trained in Kalapeetam, Madras for a period of six months and later on had the privileged to receive training from Professor C. V. Chandrasekar of Chennai. In 1996, she continued her dancing under the tutelage of Smt. Shanthy Rajendran, and performed her Arangetram in 1999. During this time, she had performed in various productions of the Nrithakshetra, and her role as Droupathi in Droupathi Sabatham was received well by the Melbourne audience. In late 2000, with the blessings of her guru Smt. Shanthy Rajendran, Sivarubhini started teaching. Along with Bharatha Natyam, she also teaches Vocal, Veena and Keyboard. Her students have performed in numerous concerts and festivals organised by various community groups.

Smt. Sivachelvi Prashadkumar
Sivachelvi commenced her training in Bharatha Natyam under Smt. Pamini Sithamparapillai of Sri Lanka in 1986. After a brief spell of training under Smt. Renuka Arumugasamy, Sivachelvi came under the guidance of Smt. Shanthy Rajendran in October 1992. She performed her Arangetram, in 1997. Sivachelvi had regularly performed in the Nrithakshetra's annual productions including, "Salankaikal" (Sydney), Droupathi Sabhatham, Nalvar and Sathya Sai Baba. Sha has also performed in multicultural festivals and Deepavali celebrations.

Apart from her training in Bharatha Natyam, Sivachelvi has also received training in both vocal and in instrumental music (Veena and Violin) under the guidance of her mother, Smt. Thangaranee Kanagasabai. Sivachelvi started teaching Bharatha Natyam in 1997 at the Box Hill Tamil School. At the completion of Bachelor of Science and Masters in Reproductive Science at Monash University, she temporarily relocated to Canberra to establish her career. Sivachelvi returned to Melbourne in 2005 and has resumed Bharatha Natyam classes in Berwick.

IAA attains its objectives by
- Training, promoting and presenting public performances of Indian Classical Music
- Training, developing and presenting public performances of Indian light and semi-classical music through Geethalaya and Young Geethalaya
- Conducting regular workshops, monthly concerts, annual concerts and music festivals

Along with a wide range of percussion instruments the Indian Arts Academy also teaches vocal, violin, veena, keyboard, mridangam and bharatha natyam.