Founder & Director 

Sangeetha Vidwan Smt. Pathmini Gunaseelan graduated from the Madras Music College. She was under the tutelage of the venerated ‘Bharatha Choodamani’ legendary Bharatanatyam exponent; late Padmashri Adayar K. lakshman, where she has received her diploma in Bharatanatyam and Nattuvangam. The guru's expertise did not stop with dancing. She possesses the dual qualification that enables her to teach dance and vocal. She received further training from celebrated musicians like T. M. Thiyagarajan, K. V. Narayanaswamy, Brintha Amma, Ramanathapuram Krishnan, D. K. Jewaraman and D. K. Pattamal.

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Her teaching career as a lecturer spanning over three decades commenced at Kopay Teachers Training College, Sri Lanka, and Pandatharipu Girls College, where she choreographed a dance drama that won the first prize at an all-Island School competition. She continued her service in many schools in Sri Lanka before immigrating to the United Kingdom. During a time where teaching or presenting the art of Bharatanatyam was difficult, her growing perseverance led her to establish her own school of fine arts in London, Narthana Kalalayam in 1985, with the help of her beloved husband Gunaseelan. Since its inception, the school has guided hundreds of aspiring dancers and produced 43 arangetram students

She is well known for her innovative dance productions, both classical and contemporary. She has choreographed more than 30 dance dramas inspired by Ramayanam, Mahabharatham, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Anarkali, and many other periodic and modern dramas. Apart from her own institution, she is also the resident teacher at Walthamstow Tamil Sangam, London Sri Murugan Temple, and previously at Essex Tamil Society for over 18 years, and at Scunthorpe Indian Dance and Music Association (SIDA) for over 12 years. The renowned 'Kalaaviththaki' is the Chief examiner for Bharatanatyam at the Academy of Fine Arts (London). She has been instrumental in compiling the syllabus for Bharatanatyam for the Trinity College of Music. Her wealth of experience and knowledge has made her a popular choice to be Guest of Honour and Chief Guest at many European functions. Her passion for Bharatanatyam and her commitment to her students has inspired several of them to become dance teachers including a British English student becoming a renowned dance teacher.