As most of you may know, my association with Aunty goes back almost 40 years. It is therefore impossible for me to capture all those years in a few lines. However, I was in India last month and had the good fortune to share a small lec-dem with Aunty. When I saw her in June, she looked a little weak and fragile and I wondered how she would be able to sit through the lec-dem... let alone sing by herself.

But Aunty lets nothing get in her way, when it comes to dance and music and it is her creativity that has kept her going and will continue to do so. If I am able to conduct dance classes, programs and arangetrams today, it is only because of the well-rounded training that I, among many others, have received from Aunty.

Once again, Aunty, thank you for all that you have done for me, in making me a complete dancer. Raja, Srikanth and Sidhu join me in wishing you many happy returns of the day and lots more, filled with new creations, good health and peace of mind.

Your loving shishya,
Shoba Narayan
(nee Parvathi Dandapani)