Nataraja Krishnamoorthy, better known as Soorya Krishnamoorthy, is the founder-director of the SOORYA Stage and Film Society. The Society, based in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), India promotes Indian arts and culture and is now renowned for organizing the Soorya Festival - the longest and one of the most prestigious cultural events in India - conducted annually and now lasting for more than a hundred days in which the finest and most accomplished artists in Indian classical dances and music participate. Over the years since its inception, Soorya has opened chapters in Singapore, Malaysia, London (U.K),Manchester(U.K), Zurich (Switzerland), Vienna (Austria), Rome (Italy), Koln (Germany), Dublin (Ireland), Bahrain, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, and Saudi Arabia. Soorya has the professed aim of disseminating Indian Culture and achieving "Integration through Culture".
Soorya Krishnamoorthy is a pioneer of the Light and Sound show in Malayalam. He has also ventured in to the first ever mobile Light and Sound Show and a new theatrical art form - "THEATRE OF FREEDOM". This theatre movement also has completed 30 years. He has also written, conceived and directed various stage shows.
Personal Profile
Soorya Krishnamoorthy was born on the 11 April 1951, in Kottayam District of Kerala State in a family of renowned Engineers, belonging to the erstwhile Travancore State. Father Nataraja Pillai was the Chief Engineer of Kerala State. Mother, Saraswathi Amma, was an active member of the Gandhi peace foundation.
Scholastic Record
He did his schooling in Government Model High School, Trivandrum, Kerala, and pursued his pre-degree in Government Arts College and later graduated as a Bachelor of Engineering, from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, in 1971.
His achievements during pre-degree, include, becoming the secretary general of the College Union, winning with a record majority of votes in the Kerala University and representing the Kerala State and Kerala University for Badminton(shuttle).
Professional Record
He joined the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as a scientist/engineer in 1972, where he worked under scientists such as, Bharat Ratna A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, C. R. Sathya, Padmashri M. R. Kurup, Padmashri Dr. V. R. Gowarikar, Padmashri S. Srinivasan- and the like, for a period of 27 years.
Soorya and Limca
As per the Limca Book of World Records : Soorya Krishnamoorthy - Man of the Year 2003. Soorya is the largest cultural society of Asia. Soorya Festival is the largest and the longest Festival of Asia (75 continuous days)
Art and Culture
Soorya Krishnamoorthy brought Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, in to the Cultural and Film Map of India, through various cultural and film festivals. The 75 day long Soorya India Festival is a major festival in India today. Thiruvananthapuram becomes the Cultural Capital of India during this event. He conceptualized and started the Tourism Week Celebrations for the Govt. of Kerala in 1980 and the celebrations continue every year in the same design till date. He served as the director of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, 3 terms in succession. He has also been the member of the National Film Award jury, the Kerala State Film Award jury, the NFDC Script Committee and the National jury for selecting Indian Panorama films. In 2006, he was the Chairman, Film Awards Jury of John Abraham Awards and P Padmarajan Award. He has also been a member of the Doordarshan Advisory Committee, the Expert Committee of the Department of Culture, Govt. of India and the steering committee formed by the Department of Culture, Govt. of India to evolve the cultural policy of the country. He contributed for the upliftment of the young talents in the field of art and culture & also for the presentation, promotion and preservation of folk arts of Kerala.
He was the Chairman for Asianet Film Awards, the Executive committee Member, Kerala State Chalachithra Academy, Chief Co-ordinator of Kerala State Film Awards 2001 & Kerala State Television Awards 2002, Vice Chairman of Kerala State Chalachithra Academy and Executive Member of Vylopilli Samskrithi Bhavan.
Awards and Honours
The prominent awards and honours include...
YEAR Award Conferred by
1994 "Prathiba Pranam" Award for Out-standing Creative Artiste Government of Kerala
1994 John Abraham Award for the best run film Society of Country Federation of Film Societies of India
1996 President of India’s National Award for Stage Craft and Direction Government of India
2001 Selected as one in 101 world renowned living Keralites of the millennium Government of Kerala
2003 "Man Of The Year" for contribution made in the field of art Limca Book of Records
2004 "Special Recognition" Award for overall contribution in the field of art and culture. Government of Kerala
"Award of Excellence" for outstanding contribution in the field of Art and Culture Govt. of Pondicherry
Special Award for contribution to the Film Society Movement in Kerala Federation of Film Societies of India
2006 “Kalaimamani” Award for Stage Craft and Direction Government of Tamil Nadu
Soorya Krishnamoorthy remains as the only artiste to have received the highest honour by 3 State Governments, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.
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