Classical dancer Prathibha Prahlad revealed she was contemplating a plunge into politics.
“The Indian economy cannot grow without banking on our immense cultural soft power,” she said at ‘Maneyangaladalli Mathukathe’ (Chat in the front yard), a talk series hosted by the Kannada and culture department.
Senior journalist Ramakrishna Upadhya steered the conversation as Prathibha recalled anecdotes from her life, including her introduction to classical dance, and her relationship with former chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde.
“I was introduced to classical dance by accident,” she said. “When I was four and a half or five years old, I would often visit my neighbour Sunanda Devi, a Kuchipudi dancer and teacher. I would not dance but just sit and watch the class. One day, it so happened that they were short of a dancer and I was called to fill in for her,” she reminisced.
She then went on to become the first professional dancer in her family. “I come from a family of academics. This was all very new for the family. Irrespective of what career path I chose, they wanted me to get a postgraduate degree. So, for years I juggled my studies and dance,” she said.
Over the years, Prathibha founded non-profit organisations such as the Prasiddha Foundation and Forum for Art Beyond Borders. She was also the moving spirit behind the Delhi International Arts Festival and Hampi Utsav, annual festivals that have currently taken a backseat because of the pandemic.
“Back then, when I was just starting to make a mark as a classical dancer, I would attend several international dance and arts festivals. That is when I realised that India too needed an international arts festival of its own,” she said.
When Upadhya asked about her relationship with Hegde and her decision to become a single mother, she said, “Personally, I don’t believe marriage is necessary to have children. It is something that society has subscribed to for reasons best known to society. Yes, it is good to have a partner to share the joys and burdens of looking after a family. But, irrespective of this, society has to progress and think about various paradigms. One such paradigm was my decision to become a single mother to my twin sons and I have never regretted it.”
She said her relationship with Hegde became strained at one point. “Once he fell ill, his family tried their best to keep me away from him. They believed I had political aspirations and would end up being his political heir. What they didn’t understand was the emotional bond the two of us shared,” she said.
She announced she was ready for politics now. “I do have political ambitions now. If anyone is interested in admitting me into their party, I’m game,” she said with a laugh.
Prathibha recently performed ‘Warrior Women of Bharat’, with some of India’s top dancers such as Shovana Narayan, Alekhya Punjala and Meera Das, to honour Indian women who took to the battlefield to fight for their rights.