Arts India US Selects 10 Emerging Artists For 2026 Lotus Fellowship
India-West Staff Reporter
NEW YORK, NY- Arts India US has announced its selection of ten emerging Indian classical performers as the 2026 Lotus Fellows. Chosen from nearly 100 applicants nationwide, the artists will participate in a yearlong program designed to significantly expand their professional visibility, artistic development, and institutional access within the United States.
The initiative specifically addresses a systemic gap where rigorous Indian classical performers are often inappropriately categorized as “ethnic” or “folk,” thereby restricting their full access to mainstream artistic opportunities, Arts India US said.
The Fellowship’s structure provides a robust platform including tailored workshops, creative guidance, and a public performance opportunity. “These applications confirmed what we already knew—there is extraordinary talent in our community, and an urgent need for infrastructure that respects both tradition and innovation,” said Vani Krishnamurthy, Founder and Executive Director of Arts India US. “The Lotus Fellowship gives these artists the structure, tools, and connections to thrive.”
The 2026 cohort showcases the breadth of classical traditions. The selected Fellows include sitarist Antara Bhattacharya(Denton, TX), Kathak dancers Ariaki Dandawate (New York, NY) and Tarika Nath (Houston, TX), Bharatanatyam artists Harini Nilakantan (Chicago, IL) and Neha Venkatesh (Seattle, WA), Odissi dancer Shalini Basu (New York, NY), Kuchipudi artist Vedya Spurthi Konda (Austin, TX), Carnatic violinist Karthik Iyer (Aurora, IL), mridangam artist Karun Salvady (Houston, TX), and sarod player Shruti De (Albany, NY).
Each Fellow will engage in a year-long artistic dialogue with a recognized mentor. Mentors guiding the cohort include sitarist Neel Murgai, Hindustani vocalist Samarth Nagarkar, Carnatic vocalists Aditya Prakash and Roopa Mahadevan, percussionist Rohan Krishnamurthy, Bharatanatyam artist Nadhi Thekkek, and Kathak exponent Parul Shah.
The program includes industry workshops that will cover essential topics: Ragamala Dance Company’s Executive Artistic Director Aparna Ramaswamy on how institutions take notice; Bharatanatyam artist Mythili Prakash on balancing lineage and personal identity; ClassPass founder Payal Kadakia Pujji on entrepreneurial aspects of an artistic career; and Thresh founder Preeti Vasudevan, on developing fundable works.
The Fellowship will culminate in a public showcase in 2026, where all ten artists will premiere original short works, providing audiences and cultural programmers a clear view of how these deep-rooted classical forms are evolving within a contemporary American setting.
