Madavoor Vasudevan Nair Biography 
Madavoor Vasudevan Nair is a Kathakali exponent and accomplished instructor from Kerala and one of the last performers of Kaplingadan style of classical dance form in Kerala. As a veteran of this field, he gave significant contributions to Kerala art and Kathakali. He is known for Kaplingadan style of Kathakali performance and teaches students in this style. He has performed live with 5 generations of Kathakali experts and one of the prominent figures of Kathakali from Kerala. He learnt under Madavoor Parameswaran Pillai and Chenganur Raman Pillai. He still performs this art form and earns his living through it.
Madavoor Vasudevan Nair was born on 7 April 1929 in Madavoor of Thiruvananthapuram district. His village name Madavoor is added to his name. His mother was a renowned music vocalist and for the same reason he got attracted to Carnatic music at a younger age. He was also attracted to devotional songs and folk songs. Madavoor Parameswaran Pillai was his first Kathakali teacher and he started learning at the age of 10. He gave his initial performance just after 6 months where he did the role of Bhanumathi and Utharan in the play Utharaswayamvaram. Later he took extensive training under Guru Chengannur Raman Pillai for a period of 12 years.
He started his professional career in Travancore palace as an artist and was a part of "Travancore Palace Kathakali Yogam". During the early 1960s he became one of the prominent names of Kathakali artists from Kerala. Later he served as an instructor at Kerala Kalamandalam for long 10 years – the university of Kathakali, followed by Principal of Kala Bharathi Kathakali school.
Published: N/A
Updated: July 21, 2014
