Santha Bhaskar

Santha Bhaskar (1939 – 26 February 2022), née Pankyamma Santhamma was a Singaporean dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Born in India, she trained and performed in multiple classical Indian dance forms, including Mohiniyattam, Kathakali and Bharatanatyam. She performed and choreographed a number of well received dance productions in Singapore, and taught dance for several decades at the academy established by her husband as well as the National University of Singapore. Her work is known for incorporating elements of Thai, Chinese, and Malay dance, music, and culture into Indian classical dance. She is the recipient of several awards for her contributions to dance, including the Cultural Medallion, the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Star), the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal), and has been inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame.