Nishitha Viswanathan
Nishitha Viswanathan commenced her Bharatanatyam education in 2002 under the guidance of Guru Malathi Iyengar, and has performed in a number of company productions. She has attended workshops offered by master artists from India, including yoga with Renjith Babu Choorakkad, abhinaya with Bragha Bessell, and Indian folk dances with Murali Mohan Kalvakalva.
In 2012, Nishitha founded a 501(c)(3) organization with over 120 members and alumni. Chosen as Santa Barbara’s Organization of the Year (2016) out of 600+ organizations, her co-founder and she are working towards developing and bringing sustainable, low cost technology solutions to rural healthcare settings in India. Their team also collaborates with high profile South Asian artists to host events in order to fund education for children across India. Built on the foundations and inspiration of her guru and family, she continues to pursue her passion for the arts, philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship through this endeavor.
UCSB alumna and 2016 graduate, Nishitha began working in clinical cardiology research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. This exposure strengthened her compassion for impacting patient outcomes, leading her to pursue a career in business strategy in the healthcare technology industry.
Currently living in Los Angeles, Nishitha can be seen reading, drawing, or practicing yoga in her spare time. She aspires to deepen her knowledge of Bharatanatyam, and advance her training at the Rangoli Dance Company to uphold the rich education she has been so fortunate to receive.