Profile of Mrs. V. R. Devika

Guest of Honour, Inauguration Function, 11th of September 2012 

V.R.Devika, Managing Trustee

V. R. Devika, Founder and Managing trustee of The Aseema Trust,  is a well known cultural activist who has a passion for performing arts and education.

Devika’s PhD thesis is on “Gandhian communication for transformation: Philosophical issues and dimensions” at the Department of Philosophy, University of Madras. She conducts regular workshops on Charka-spinning, peace education and communication skills for students and teachers.

Devika has she received a certificate of honorary citizenship from the Governor of Maryland while she was a participant of  US state department’s International Visitor Leadership programme. She has received British Council’s Charles Wallace Award for Arts in Education in UK. She has been honored with Kalasevabharathi award from Bharath Kalachar for contributions to arts and education, the Gnanasamudhra award from Samudhra magazine, Satya Vimarshaka Sundaram from Natyanjali, a lifetime achievement award from the Amir Khusro music academy, a woman’s day honour from Jaycees, a best lecture demonstration award from the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and vocational excellence awards from Rotary club, Karnataka Rajyothsava award from Kannada Sanghas of Chennai,. Manita neya panpalar from lioness’ club.

She has extensively travelled for conferences and lectures in Cambodia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sri Lanka, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and USA.

A former school teacher known for her use of elements of traditional performing arts as teaching tool and former director for Education and Culture of the Madras Craft Foundation, Devika continues as a member of the advisory council of Madras Craft Foundation and its project Dakshinachitra Heritage Center. She is closely associated with Prakriti Foundation and is a Citizens Run Trustee. She is on the board of International Partnership Network and Avvai Home.

A Bharathanatyam disciple of the Dhananjayans, she gives lectures on the theory and practice of the dance and culture of India and is a freelance art critic contributing to leading publications. She is on the world Gandhi speakers’ network and spins regularly on the Charkha and is a well known storyteller.