Bharatha Natya Arangetram

Sachithra Basnayake (14) who is a grade 9 student of Vishaka Vidyalaya, Colombo performed her arangetram last week.

An arangetram signifies a very advanced stage of dancing. To stage it at the tender age of fourteen is therefore major achievement for this upcoming dancer.

Sachithra showed her dancing talent since her childhood. She started her first steps in dancing under the guidance of her mother (Mrs Swarna Basnayake.) Later she developed her talent through the prominent dancing instructor Kalasuri Daya Nellampitiya. Sachithra's first public performance was at four years of age at the Central College Auditorium Maharagama with her mother's show in 1996 called "Sarangi Ranga Prasanga"

She also participated in "Sisu ragum", "Miyasi Visakha", "Kala Ulela" and other Inter-school dancing competitions representing her school. Apart from that, she has participated in many festivals and functions at National level and various television programmes. She has won many awards at dancing competitions, which are held at district, provincial and all Island levels.

She has represented Sri Lanka in the Sivo International Dancing Festival-Netherlands-2004 and I-Lan International Children Folklore Festival-Taiwan-2005.

She has successfully got through the Bharatha Natyam and Music exams, which are conducted by The Bathkande Sangith Vidyapith, Lucknow-India.

She entered the Indian Cultural Center in the year 2002 and followed Bharatha Natyam for 4 years under the guidance of her guru Nattyakalasihamani Subashini Pathmanadan. She is also a active member of the Girl Guide Association, IT Unit and Media Unit of Vishaka Vidyalaya. Sachithra is a bright student of Sri Vajiragnana Damma School-Maharagama, where she served as a junior prefect for 4 years.

SACHIE is the loving eldest daughter of Mr. M. G. Basnayake & Mrs. Swarna Basnayake and the loving sister of Senuri Bisheka Basnayake. Her hobbies are visiting countries, reading, writing articles and studying various folklore. Her ambitions is to become a doctor of Medicine.