Smt. Jayanthi Sridharan learnt the art of Bharathanatyam starting at a very young age from Guru Padmashree Adyar K. Lakshman, in Chennai. She was nurtured under his tutelage in the Kalakshetra tradition for over 20 years and is one of his senior-most disciples. In addition to learning Bharathanatyam, she has also received extensive training in Nattuvangam and has played a key role in all the productions and activities of Bharatha Choodamani, an academy of fine arts directed by Shri Adyar K. Lakshman.

Jayanthi has toured throughout the world, performing and conducting lecture demonstrations on the art of Bharathanatyam. Her performances have won press and public acclaim — not only as a solo dancer, but also as a choreographer and a director. Jayanthi has taken part in all the prestigious dance festivals in India. She was specially chosen by Guru Padmashri Adyar Lakshman to represent him in the Guru Sishya Parampara conference held by the International Dance Alliance. She accompanied the then Vice President of India, Shri Shankar Dayal Sharma, on a cultural delegation to Trinidad, Guyana, and Suriname as a part of the Festival of India Celebrations.

Jayanthi had been teaching Bharathanatyam in India for 6 years before moving to California where she began conducting Bharathanatyam classes in the Bay Area in 1990. In 1992, she founded Bharathakala Kutiram, an academy of Bharathanatyam located in North San Jose. The school’s main charter is to spread the divine art of Bharathanatyam. Under the guidance of such a dedicated and inspiring teacher -- a dancer committed to perfection and grace -- the school has earned a reputation for excellent rendition and coordinated presentation. In addition to participating in all community events in the Bay Area, the school has presented major productions all over North America and in India. Some of the school’s major productions include Samarpanam, Nala Damayanthi, and Maitreem Bhajatha.