The Orchestra

Smt. Mythili Kumar (Choreography & Nattuvangam) 

See biography here.

Smt. Malavika Kumar Walia (Choreography & Nattuvangam)

See biography here.

Smt. Asha Ramesh (Vocals)

Asha Ramesh, a celebrated vocalist from San Jose, California, is renowned for her versatility and mastery of Carnatic music. A devoted disciple of the legendary Sangeeta Kalanidhi Sri. D. K. Jayaraman and Nanganallur V. Ramanathan, Asha has earned widespread recognition through numerous prestigious awards, including the Rajaji Memorial Tambura Award, the Swaminatha Pillai Memorial Gold Medal, and the Vijayalakshmi Memorial Award for Best Vocalist from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in India. Gana Kala Ratnam, Gana Kala Bhooshani, Mathura Isai Vani, Isai Arasi and Smaran Kala Kaushala are some of the titles that Asha has been awarded over the past years for her contributions to the world of music. 

Asha is  an accomplished composer, having created music for a vast range of dance productions and collaborated with artists globally. Her body of work includes over 35 thillanas and many bhajans and abhangs. She also composed and performed all the songs for her Tamil album, Thenum Thinaiyum. Since 1993 she has composed the music for all of Abhinaya’s original concerts. 

Asha teamed up with her son, Rohith Jayaraman, an accomplished musician in his own right, to release Manam, an original album that confronts contemporary social issues through music. Most recently, in 2025 Asha presented Yatra, a concert featuring her own original compositions as a fundraiser for Community Seva. 

As the founder and artistic director of the Ragamalika School of Music, established in 1992, Asha has been a cornerstone of the San Jose Bay Area’s music community, nurturing the next generation of musicians for over three decades.

Sri. N. Narayanan (Mridangam and Kanjira)

N. Narayanan comes from an illustrious family of musicians who, in addition to singing classical Carnatic music, are proficient in Bhajana Sampradaya - the renderings of devotional songs and hymns on festival days. Narayanan had his training in mridangam under his father Sri. P.V. Natarajan and Sri. P.S. Parameswaran of Mumbai. He has accompanied several leading musicians and has won awards for his performances in India and in Bahrain. He is a much sought after mridangist for dance concerts. He has been playing consistently for all Abhinaya productions since 1990, contributing immensely to the company’s several successful productions. Additionally, Narayanan is a gifted vocalist who also plays the harmonium.

Smt. Shanthi Narayanan (Violin)

Shanthi Narayanan had her initial training in violin under Sri. A. Anantharama Bhagavathar. She has accompanied several leading artists both in India and Bahrain. She has played for many dance productions and music concerts in the Bay Area. She has been playing consistently for all Abhinaya productions since 1990, contributing immensely to the company’s several successful productions. In the Bay Area, she is a much sought after violinist for dance concerts.