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Srishti is delighted to announce that Nina Rajarani has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2009 Birthday Honours, in recognition of her services to South Asian Dance.

The Queen's Birthday Honours are awarded each year in June, and pay tribute to outstanding achievement and service across the community. Nina’s award, recognising years of dedication to developing and raising the profile of South Asian dance, was announced on 13 June 2009, and will be presented by the Queen at an official ceremony later this year.

Nina says, “I am greatly honoured.  This has made the many sacrifices over all the years feel worthwhile.”

Nina set up her dance school at the Harrow Arts Centre in 1991, to provide traditional training in classical Bharatanatyam and Karnatic Music for children from age 5 years upwards. Nina is also secretary of the South Asian Dance Faculty of the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing), the world's leading dance examinations board, and was instrumental in devising the current ISTD Bharatanatyam syllabus when the Faculty was first set up in 1999.  She is also an examiner of Bharatanatyam for the ISTD.

Nina’s touring dance company, SRISHTI – Nina Rajarani Dance Creations, was established in 1992 and has toured extensively in the UK and internationally. The company strives to maintain the authenticity of Indian classical dance and music whilst presenting these forms in fresh and innovative ways. Nina Rajarani is renowned for challenging boundaries with her company and for her unique style of choreography. Nina won The Place Prize, Europe’s largest choreographic competition sponsored by Bloomberg, in 2006.

Nina is married to Y Yadavan, a Karnatic vocalist and music composer.  Nina has four children, born in 1999, 2001, 2007 and 2009!