View source for Kalamandalam K. G. Vasudevan Nair

{{Short description|Indian dancer (born 1937)}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Kalamandalam K.G. Vasudevan Nair
| image              = Kalamandalam K G Vasudevan Nair.jpg
| image_size         = 
| caption            = K.  G. Vasudevan Nair 
| birth_date         = {{Birth year and age|1937}}
| birth_place        = [[Keerikkad]], [[British India]] (present-day [[Kerala]], India)
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| years_active       = 
| birth_name         = K.G. Vasudevan Nair
| spouse             = 
| website            = 
| awards             = [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] (2010) <br/> [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] (2006) <br/> Kerala Kalamandalam Award and Fellowship
}}
'''Kalamandalam K.G. Vasudevan Nair''' is a [[Kathakali]] dancer from [[Kerala]] in India. He is a recipient of [[Kerala Kalamandalam|Kerala Kalamandalam Award]], Takazhi Kunju Kurup Fellowship by Kerala Kalamandalam, [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] and [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] by [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]], Government of India.

==Biography==
Kalamandalam Kombil Gopalan Vasudevan Nair was born in 1937 in the [[Keerikkad]] in present-day [[Alappuzha district]] in Kerala.<ref name="SNA">{{Cite web |title= Kalamandalam K.G. Vasudevan Nair |url=https://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in/public/uploads/awardees/docs/1741086420_K.%20K.%20Gopalan%20Vasudevan%20Nair.pdf |publisher= [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]]}}</ref> Vasudevan Nair began his Kathakali training at a very early age under Kathakali guru Evoor Raghavan Pillai, who lived in his neighborhood.<ref name="Kerala">{{cite web |title=Kalamandalam K.G. Vasudevan Nair, Kathakali maestro, Enchanting Kerala, Newsletter, Kerala Tourism |url=https://www.keralatourism.org/kerala-article/2011/kalamandalam-vasudevan-nair/133 |website=Kerala Tourism |publisher=[[Department of Tourism (Kerala)|Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Deshabhimani">{{Cite web |last=Chandan |first=Sayooj |title=ആട്ടവിളക്കിന്റെ വെളിച്ചത്തിൽ |url=https://www.deshabhimani.com/district-news/-14120/by-the-light-of-the-lamp-71360 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=[[Deshabhimani]] |language=ml}}</ref> At the age of 11, he made his debut as Krishna in Gurudakshina at the Evur Sree Krishna Temple. Later, he started playing small roles with Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Chengannur Raman Pillai, Mankulam Krishnan Namboothiri, Haripad Ramakrishnan, and Chennithala Chellappan Pillai.<ref name="Deshabhimani"/>

He then studied under K. R. Kumaran Nair and [[Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair]] and later joined [[Kerala Kalamandalam]] at the age of 14, for a post-diploma in Kathakali, where he studied Kathakali under [[Ramankutty Nair]] and [[Padmanabhan Nair]].<ref name="SNA"/><ref name="Kerala"/>

===Personal life===
Vasudevan Nair is married to Prema Kumari and they have two children, Latha and Latheesh.<ref name="Deshabhimani"/>

==Career==
[[File:Kalamandalam k g vasudevan nair.jpg|thumb|Vasudevan Nair during a Kathakali performance]]
Vasudevan Nair is a master of the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali, and his roles in Pacha (pious, gentle, and noble characters) and Kathi (anti-heroes and negative characters) are notable.<ref name="SNA"/> He has excelled in portraying male roles such as [[Rukmangada]], [[Nala]], [[Krishna]], [[Kichaka]], and [[Ravana]], and in portraying female roles such as [[Urvashi]], Lalitha, [[Damayanti]], and [[Mohini]].<ref name="SNA"/> He has traveled to various places in India, several European countries, and the United States for lectures and performances.<ref name="SNA"/>

Vasudevan Nair has also worked as a Kathakali teacher at the Gandhi Seva Sadan Kathakali Academy and Vellinezhi Government High School.<ref name="SNA"/> [[Sadanam Krishnankutty]] and [[Sadanam P. V. Balakrishnan]] are his disciples.<ref name="SNA"/> He is currently a member of the Governing Body of the [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi]].<ref name="Deshabhimani"/>

==Awards and honors==
Vasudevan Nair is a recipient of [[Kerala Kalamandalam|Kerala Kalamandalam Award]], [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] and [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] by [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]], Government of India.<ref name="SNA"/><ref name="Kerala"/> He received the first Kathakali Acharya Award, instituted by the Barnassery Mudra Kalakshetram in memory of Kathakali Acharya Kalamandalam Sankaranarayanan Nair, in February 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=കഥകളി ആചാര്യ പുരസ്കാരം കലാമണ്ഡലം കെ.ജി.വാസുദേവൻ നായർക്ക്‌ |url=https://newspaper.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-1.9290918 |work=Newspaper |date=2 February 2024 |language=ml}}</ref> He received the Takazhi Kunju Kurup Fellowship by the Kerala Kalamandalam in January 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2025-01-15 |title=Kalamandalam declares awards, fellowships |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kalamandalam-declares-awards-fellowships/article69101674.ece |access-date=2025-06-23 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In 2025 June, he received the Madhavapriya Award 2025, instituted by the Thiruvilvamala Ivarmatham Madhav Warrior Memorial Trust in memory of Pampady Ivarmatham Madhav Warrior.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=മാധവപ്രിയ പുരസ്‌കാരം |url=https://keralakaumudi.com/news/news.php?id=1560833&u=local-news-thrissur-1560833 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Keralakaumudi Daily |language=ml}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Winners of Kerala}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasudevan Nair, Kalamandalam K. G.}}
[[Category:Kathakali dancers]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Dancers from Kerala]]
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]]
[[Category:People from Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:Indian male dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]