Stepping into the space of Bharatnatyam at the age of four under the tutelage of Guru Ratnam Janardhanan, she kept thriving over the years, achieving milestones on her journey in this revered Indian classical dance form. Adding to her academic milestones, she recently earned a PhD from the Department of Fine Arts, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), specialising in Bharatnatyam. Pooja Hirwade, born and brought up in Nagpur, completed her thesis on ‘The role of Bharatnatyam towards social awareness - A critical study’. Her research explores how this ancient art form contributes to societal change.

 

Notably, this probably marks the first-ever PhD in Fine Arts under Bharatnatyam specialisation at RTMNU. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Pooja shared that her decision to focus on this subject arose while organising programmes under her initiative, ‘Antaragni - Dance for a Cause’, and during other events where classical dance became a medium to address social issues. She noticed how audiences connected with themes, and realised that empathetic value should be studied in depth. Her research methodology included two questionnaires, one designed for general public and the other for dance artists and trainees. She also conducted interviews with 10 dance expoenents, Bharatnatyam Gurus from different parts of the country, and referred to traditional texts. “Bharatnatyam’s stylised vocabulary has evolved over time and is an effective tool to raise awareness about pressing social issues. For instance, urban people are often unaware of the plight and lives of rural communities. Dance is a compelling medium to express and spread awareness,” she mentioned. Sharing her research process for contemporary or aspiring artists, she shared, “I studied productions of dance exponents who portrayed social themes and also maintained traditions of the art form. I also studied the challenges involved in bringing out societal issues, such as finance, assembling teams for productions, and the need for government schemes to facilitate such productions.”

 

She also noted that there is an emerging trend where artists are incorporating modern themes in dance productions, instead of traditional themes. Pooja recently attended the Natya Kala Conference in Chennai, where she witnessed a depiction of the Manipur atrocities through Manipuri dance. “It was an impactful presentation. While such performances are common at conferences, cities like Nagpur are yet to see a trend of Bharatnatyam productions highlighting social causes. I believe this trend will gain momentum soon,” she expressed. Since 2017, Pooja is teaching at Pratibha Nritya Mandir, assisting her Guru Ratnam Janardanan. She holds a Master’s degree in Fine Arts (MFA), is also trained in Kuchipudi. and also a recipient of the Junior as well as Young Artist Scholarship by CCRT, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. She encourages other artists to pursue a PhD with passion. “Connection with the art is important.

 

Pursuing a PhD should not be about merely acquiring a degree or fame. When it comes to traditional arts, artists have responsibility to be the torch bearers, and open new areas for research,” she asserted Pooja expressed gratitude to her Gurus Ratnam Janardhanan and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Guru N Sailaja, her guide Dr Muktadevi Mohite, Dr Sanyukta Thorat, Head of Department of Fine Arts, and dance exponents who shared their insights. She has also thanked her parents Late Dr Anil Hirwade and Dr Mangala Hirwade and husband Abhijeet Jha for their support and encouragement.