After retirement, Professor Gayatri Vijayalakshmi from Harippadu, is stepping into the hearts of thousands through her dance. In spite of being a Professor in an Engineering college, she took dancing as a passion at the age of fifty-two. Now after her retirement, she has become a professional dancer. Gayatri Vijayalakshmi’s story will inspire anyone.
After her retirement, Professor Gayatri Vijayalakshmi from Harippadu, Kerala has entered into the hearts of thousands through her dance. Professor Gayatri V Jayalakshmi, former Head of Depar
tment of TKM Engineering College, Kollam, assures that we must not think that people should not stay at home after retirement.
The story of engineering professor Gayatri Vijayalakshmi, who took to dancing at the age of fifty-two will inspire anyone. ‘One’s life can change drastically even in their sixties. According toher ‘Age is just a number
She started studying dance at the age of nine during her schooling from Kollam.Eventhough her father used to take her and back for dance she was not allowed to take it as a profession. But she was allowed to participate in dance competitions.
Gayatri, was a good actress who used to participate in drama, music, dance etc in school. Chitra Mohan was her first dance teacher and later Radhamani and Lalita Bhadran were her teachers. Deepika also participated in the state level for folk dance and semi-classical dance.
She started studying Bharatanatyam from 10th standard. Gayathri, who was good at studying, passed her undergraduate degree with 90% marks .During her college days, she moved to Kollam and joined engineering at TKM College, Kollam. She remembers that those were the days when she devoted her full attention and time only to dance and studies.
She studied Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam and has won several prizes in Mohiniyattam and Bharatnatyam at district level. She also participated in university competitions during BTech and won prizes. She was one among the five people who got state selection twice.
She moved to Thiruvananthapuram after B.Tech and continued her dance and MTech there at Thiruvanathapuram. After completing her PG in 1986 from Thiruvananthapuram College of Engineering and Technology, she was appointed as teacher at TKM Engineering College.Her daughter Unnimaya and son Yadukrishna were born during this period.
Gayathri has also worked as an announcer in Doordarshan and has even acted in a telefilm ‘Oru Mannangatta Katha’
In due course, her priorities changed and she had to focus more on the future of her children and students. She moved to Kollam and for the next three decades she devoted her life for teaching and for her children and family.
She loved teaching and was able to create a very good rapport with her students and also enjoyed raising her own kids. She is so proud that TKM College of got ten out of the first eleven ranks in engineering in 2015 when she was working as a senior advisor at TKM.
It was her students who brought their teacher back her to dancing after her retirement. Her children came to know that she was a good dancer when the children of her fellow students came to study at TKM. They insisted her to continue dancing and the she again started practicing dance from 2015 onwards.
She herself composed dance for the song ‘Shwetambara Dhare Devi’ and performed during her sent off party. After seeing the video record of the same, she decided that she must pursue her dancing.
She is of the opinion that life must not be boring after retirement, the teacher put on her chilanka again. She started practicing Bharatanatyam which could open a new chapter in her life.
Gayatri Vijayalakshmi is proving that marriage, children and retirement are not obstacles for women to move forward in their life. At the age of 57, Gayathri, who studied dance again under Maithili teacher, performed one and a half hour Bharatnatyam concert at Vailoppilly Sanskriti Bhavan.
She performed in more than 50 programmes and acted in 15 online programs and ten stage programs during the Corona period. She has also acted in a short film and also performed Bharatanatyam concerts at venues like Kerala Tourism Onam celebration, Edappally Changampuzha Park, Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Atukal Pongala, International Dance Fests etc..
Gayathri is very happy that her daughter Unnimaya and son Yadukrishnan, son-in-law Aneesh, daughter in law Devija and grand son Niranjan are giving her full support in pursuing her passion for dancing
Gayathri, who is presently settled in Thiruvananthapuram, is enjoying her retirement life through pursuing her all-time passion for dancing. According to her Age is only a Number.
