January 5, 2002 keralamonitor.com

Sruthi Bhadran bags First Prize in Mohiniyattam, Folk Dance

Sruthi Bhadran - Dancing Ahead in Kerala

Sruthi Bhadran is once again catching the headlines of leading Malayalam dailies for getting the first prize in Mohiniyattam and Folk Dance (Single) from the Alappuzha Revenue District Yuvajanolsavam.

In a stiff competition, Sruthi Bhadran is qualified to compete at the state level School Yuvajanolsavam, which will be held in Alappuzha from January 15 onwards. Sruthi Bhadran, a former student of Indian School Darsait got a number of prizes in Mohiniyattam, Bharata Natyam, Folk Dance, Kuchippudi and other competitions in Muscat. She had been the regular recipient of first prize consecutively for six years from the Indian Social Club,Malayalam Wing Muscat.

Sruthi got four first prizes at the sub-district level for Bharata Natyam, Mohiniyattam, Folk Single, Kathakali and second prize for Kuchippudi. Currently Sruth is an eigth standard student of the St.Mary's Girls High School, Kayama Kulam. Her father, Bhadran B.R. is a Gulf Malayali working in Muscat. He is also a member of the Managing Committee of the Indian Social Club, Malayalam Wing. (keralamonitor.com)

 

Sruthi R.Bhadran:

Classical Dancer of Muscat becoming victim of ISCM Favouritism, harassment

Sruthi R.Bhadran who got several prizes is being sidelined?

keralamonitor.com

Twelve year old Sruthi R.Badran is a seventh standard student of Indian School Darsait (ISD), Oman who has been regularly bagging a number of prizes in classical dance and music from both the Indian Social Club (ISC) and ISD. Sruthi who started learning classical dance at the age of four has won first prize for 'Bharatanatyam' in the annual cultural competitions organized by the ISC(M) for the last five years consecutively!

During the 2001 ISC Onam competitions, Sruthi Bhadran got first prize in four items -- 'Bharatanatyam', 'Koochippudi', folk dance (Single) and fancy dress. And she stood second in 'Mohiniyattam' and 'Malayalam recitation. Out of nearly 700 participants in various events, Sruthi bagged 24 points - about 10 points more than the "Kalaratnam-2001 " from senior students. Sruthi has bagged maximum point in the Onam cultural competitions 2001 and is the winner of Top Scorer Award in the same year.

However, her mother Lalilitha Bhadran, a known artist in Muscat, and father B.R Bhadran, an active member of the ISC M Management Committee are mentally upset about a group of biased people within the ISC M who have always tried to sideline their talented daughter and 'promote" other children.

Sruthi's Mohiniyattam posture.

During the usual New Year get together of the ISCM organised to reward various participants in cultural events during the year, the girl and her parents really experienced the mental pain due to clear partiality and favouritism shown by the convener of the Cultural Wing,. This is not the first time that heis facing severe criticism for showing favouritism and bias. Even though the Convener of the Children's Wing has given a list of budding artists to the Cultural Convener including Sruthi, when names were called out she was excluded for unknown reasons. For all her achievements, ISCM gave her a memorable New Year Gift' in the annual get together organised on the eve of New year 2002.Out of 80 children who were given prizes for participating in cultural events of the year 2001, Sruthi's name was mysteriously absent .

'The girl was eagerly waiting to receive her prize with other children. She was mentally disturbed to realise that she was not called for the prize," says an eyewitness. Even though the ISCM Cultural convener said that the problem occurred because the announcer failed to call the girl, members of the ISCM Managing Committee revealed that her name was not at all in the list.

It is said that Sruthi's parents have been the victim of a covert campaign by a group of people in the ISC(M), who always tried to sideline the talented girl and mentally harass the family through such means. On several occasions the higher ups in the ISC M tried their level best to show favouritism and partiality. Her parents have every reason to believe that it is part of the protracted campaign . Sruthi's exclusion from the list of 80 students cannot have occurred without a deliberate attempt on the part of the Cultural convener.

Bharathanatyam

Every year since 1999 Sruthi has scored more points than hundreds of others who participated in competitions. Even though she is a junior, Sruthi has scored more points than even the 'Kalaratnam' winner selected by ISCM. Despite the petty politics and favouritism, Sruthi has always stood first. If there was no age restriction for deciding the 'Kalaratnam' she would have bagged that award.Sruthi has been bagging first prize for folk dance from the Indian School Darsait. She is a reasonably good singer also - this year Sruthi stood first in light Music and Padhyaparayanam from the ISD. Now she is learning Music under the guidance of ganabhooshanam Thalavadi Krishnankutty, a noted musician of Muscat.

According to her parents, the recent decision to increase minimum age for 'Kalaratnam' was also intended to keep the girl away from bagging that position. Last year, the ISC M Cultural convener took a sudden decision to increase the minimum age for 'Kalaratnam' candidates from 12 years to 13 years. The proposal was brought to the general body meeting in a hurry and a decision was taken just to serve one purpose - to avoid giving 'Kalaratnam' award to Sruthi Bhadran. Despite other publicised reasons, the hidden agenda was to keep Sruthi Bhadran away from the competition.

Some members allege that the decision to give Kalaratnam award to a particular artist was taken one year in advance by the Cultural convener. This year, there was fair amount of criticism and public debate about giving first prize for Mohiniyattam to a girl who participated in the event wearing a red blouse. According to many observers, this was a disqualification, overlooked by the judges.

Most often, the judges are not competent enough to decide the real winner. 'Mohiniyattam,' a classical dance form that originated in Kerala, has clear dress code. Despite violating this dress code, the participant was given first prize and became a 'Kalaratnam'. Following this the readers forum in the local newspapers have been filled with letters and counter letters about the 'red blouse' controversy, which definitely affected the reputation of ISCM leaders. To become a 'Kalaratnam', participants have to excel in two out of three groups -dance-music, fine arts and literary. It is high time that the ISCM Higher ups control 'groupism' and other malpractice in the social organisation which definitely hinder talented children's progress.

Famous Indian dancers like Bala Saraswathy, Mrinalini Sarabai, Rukmini Arundel, Padma Subhramaniam, Vaijayantimala and Chitra Visveshwaran have made their mark in Bharatanatyam. Sruthi has already staged more than 100 programmes and the group politics in the social club and favouritism shown by public personalities should not prevent her from reaching new heights of classical dance.

Due to such complaints of favouritism and partiality shown by the office bearers, there have been open rebellion by some members. Recently an unknown member of the ISC M had gone to the extent of circulating an anonymous letter, accusing the officials of showing partiality. According to the letter, one person is responsible for all the problems in the ISC M --its cultural convener, whose arrogant behaviour has antagonised many members.

The ISCM called an emergency general body and decided to work together. The ISCM leaders, used the general body meeting to accuse the local media for all the problems facing the organisation. The meeting passed a resolution to file a formal complaint against Adarsh Madhavan, reporter, Times of Oman who reported the groupism and favouritism in the ISCM. However, the ISCM leaders had to eat their word and withdraw the complaint because of ISC president Sathish Nambiar's timely intervention. The general body passed anti Times of Oman resolution without obtaining permission from the parent organization.

Favouritism is nothing new in ISCM, KCC Fund details still missing

Sruthi Badran is not the first victim of favouritism shown by ISCM leaders."Favouritism is the key word in everything the ISCM managment committee is handling. From allotting programmes to organising competitions, there is highest level of malpractice...The Onam competitions saw the committee member in charge of culture handling the affairs without anyone's interference. He has been acting in such a high handed and autocratic manner that even the convener has no say in such things," said a group of ISC members in an anonymous letter circulated a month back.

"There was favouritism in judging competition events. Judges with questionable qualifications were to assess the competition in various items.There has been cases where the marks entered by the judges have been sabotaged and wrong contestants were declared winners. There was definite foul play in giving first prize to the contestant who appeared with the wrong dress..a fault which would have invited disqualification in any competition.,' the letter accused.

"The contestant who has no known history of winning any dance event was declared a 'Kalaratnam' There has been many under hand dealings in other competitions also,' accused the anonymous letter circulated by the Action Committee for Saving Malayalam Wing.In the recent past, such groupism and rebellions have caused a split in the ISCM --out of 500 plus members, majority of them formed a new ISC Kerala Wing. If such type of partiality and favouritism continues, there may be more rebellion within the organization.

The billion dollar question is: Why C.N.P.Nampoothiri, the ISCM convener is keeping mum about the Cultural Convener who is causing severe headache to all other ISCM officials? Many people believe that the convener is silent because he knows many secrets with regard to the misappropriation of Kerala Cultural Centre funds worth RO 40,000. These two leaders are involved in the KCC Fund handling during their tenure with the KCC. Even thought the ISCM members were promised that the audited KCC accounts will be presented in the next general body, the year 2001 is already gone and the members are still in the dark about the KCC Fund.

Even though the ISCM leaders like Suresh B.Nair, C.N.P.Nampoothiri, Jose and others who were in the KCC, have promised to give details of the Fund accounts in the next general body meeting, it is yet to happen. The ISC members were told that the details of the Fund are given in the Indian Embassy, Muscat. However, the Indian Embassy officials are pretending ignorance and say that the details should be with the Indian Social Club, the parent body. One of the KCC leaders who was involved in the Fund handling, Mr.Jose has already left Oman due to some financial dispute with his local sponsor.

There are so many theories about KCC Funds circulating in Muscat Malayali circles. One story is that the KCC Members did not spend any money for buying the scanning machine, but only gave foreign exchange to a body in Kerala to import the machinery. It is alleged that the machinery was imported for the Thrichur Medical College by someone else who obtained foreign exchange from the KCC Fund. It is also suggested that the KCC leaders have obtained an equivalent amount of Indian currency, with a slight margin money. Another story is that the KCC committee members had regular party in a Muscat hotel for one and half years and part of the money RO 40,000 was paid as hotel bill for wining and dining.

Recently, some members of ISCM raised the issue in the emergency general body meeting and asked the committee members to present audited accounts of KCC Funds as soon as possible. Instead of revealing the details, the ISCM leaders are allegedly trying to brand these members as "rebels", responsible for cirulating anonymous letters and causing problems of the Club. Other senior members of the ISCM are facing similar kind of treatment..whoever asks details about KCC Fund are working against the ISCM interest. At least three senior ISCM members are being sidelined in this fashion.

Earlier Report in Keralamonitor:

Kerala Cultural Centre (KCC) Members Want Accounts made public

Committee members spend RO 30,000 to buy a scanning machine that does not work

Muscat -Kerala Cultural Centre (KCC) is once again in the news for bad reasons. The last office bearers of the KCC are the butt of ridicule from many corners as they have faced severe criticism for the dubious manner in which they handled huge amount of surplus funds worth thousands of Rials and other assets of the closed club without disclosing the details for several years...Full Report

Real talent: Sruthi R.Bhadran with the pile of trophies bagged during a cultural show in Muscat.

Favouritism is nothing new in ISCM, KCC Fund details still missing