Sri Vidya Chandra Sekhar, a former Miss India USA, and Miss Michigan State Fair, holds two World Records for Longest Solo Classical Dance Performance, through which she fundraised thousands of dollars to benefit the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Representing the next generation in a family thread of dancers and musicians from India, the Canadian-born artist holds the VP of Operations role in Hindu Temple Rhythms, celebrating 42 years of Bharata Natyam education in North America. www.hindutemplerhythms.com.
Through years of vigorous and tireless training on two continents, under the supervision of the Grand Masters of Tiruvidaimarudur technique from Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir, including the award-winning late T.K. Mahalingam Pillai, Vidya's repertoire now consists of almost 500 items of the traditional repertoire, ranging from abhinaya-intensive numbers made popular in the 1950's by legends such as Balasaraswati to innovative nritta-technique numbers researched and brought to the stage for the first time in the 1960's by her own legendary mother, "Natya Veda Bharati", Smt.Sudha ChandraSekhar (formely: Sudha Doraiswamy).
Some of these items from the highly spiritually charged snake dance to the temple ritual kavuthwams, have now found residence in popular recital fare, while others, such as age-old javalis, padams, and sacred Vedic Hymns, have remained arcane and unexposed to stages worldwide. Vidya's focus has thus been to identify eager artists to absorb and rescue all this material and carry it into the future.
Childhood exposure to Buddhist dance material through a series of dance-dramas Hindu Temple Rhythms performed in tandem with famed Buddhist Author and Composer, Dr. V. Subramaniam, opened Vidya's mind and heart to the philosophies of the Eight-fold Path, and the Divine Revelations of the Buddha Avatar. Further physical and emotional challenges in life then brought the young dancer to enhanced awareness of purpose and helped her question faith, trust, hope and belief, until she found the answers from master teachings and texts resonated with ancient arts. Inspired, Vidya has been on the Seeker's Path, herself, removing herself from stage presence, focusing on dance as service and awareness. She has since her teenage years, found fresh ways to enhance life for all beings with Bharata Natyam, with efforts such as teaching Bharata Natyam at the Detroit Day School for the Deaf, helping ritalin charged youngsters to find centering through meditation-infused Bharata Natyam exercise, and participating in standard and innovative fundraisers and educative programs.
Vidya also uses multiple musical paths to draw more people to the understanding of service as a way of achieving greater awareness in life. Try the other links on our site to learn how she seeks to travel the path of right action and right livelihood.
Sri Vidya Chandra Sekhar, a former Miss India USA, and Miss Michigan State Fair, holds two World Records for Longest Solo Classical Dance Performance, through which she fundraised thousands of dollars to benefit the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Representing the next generation in a family thread of dancers and musicians from India, the Canadian-born artist holds the VP of Operations role in Hindu Temple Rhythms, celebrating 42 years of Bharata Natyam education in North America. 
Through years of vigorous and tireless training on two continents, under the supervision of the Grand Masters of Tiruvidaimarudur technique from Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir, including the award-winning late T.K. Mahalingam Pillai, Vidya's repertoire now consists of almost 500 items of the traditional repertoire, ranging from abhinaya-intensive numbers made popular in the 1950's by legends such as Balasaraswati to innovative nritta-technique numbers researched and brought to the stage for the first time in the 1960's by her own legendary mother, "Natya Veda Bharati", Smt.Sudha ChandraSekhar (formely: Sudha Doraiswamy). 
Childhood exposure to Buddhist dance material through a series of dance-dramas Hindu Temple Rhythms performed in tandem with famed Buddhist Author and Composer, Dr. V. Subramaniam, opened Vidya's mind and heart to the philosophies of the Eight-fold Path, and the Divine Revelations of the Buddha Avatar. Further physical and emotional challenges in life then brought the young dancer to enhanced awareness of purpose and helped her question faith, trust, hope and belief, until she found the answers from master teachings and texts resonated with ancient arts. Inspired, Vidya has been on the Seeker's Path, herself, removing herself from stage presence, focusing on dance as service and awareness. She has since her teenage years, found fresh ways to enhance life for all beings with Bharata Natyam, with efforts such as teaching Bharata Natyam at the Detroit Day School for the Deaf, helping ritalin charged youngsters to find centering through meditation-infused Bharata Natyam exercise, and participating in standard and innovative fundraisers and educative programs. 