A Search for Excellence Through Dance

She is the first lady traffic officer in the South Central Railway (SCR). She has been working with the Railways since 1987, following her selection by the Union Public Service Commission for the Railway Traffic Service, and has just taken over as Deputy General Manager, Efficiency.

But, Hyderabad-born Tamilian Ananda Shankar Jayant hasn't gone to a regular school or college, thanks to a passion for dance. A gold medal in the All India dance competition in 1973, took her to the traditional art school Kalakshetra in Chennai when she was just eleven, to learn Bharatnatyam under Rukmini Devi Arundale, carnatic music, Veena, and choreography.

She simultaneously pursued her metric and graduation through correspondence from St Ann's school, and Delhi University respectively.

After returning to Hyderabad, "which is in my soul, blood," she set up the Shankarananda Kalakshetra, teaching Bharatnatyam, and simultaneously learning Kuchipudi from P Ramalinga Sastry. After finishing Bcom, an urge to experience regular college life took her to the Osmania University campus, where she pursued her MA in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archeology, and then went on to do her MPhil after getting through the first-ever UGC NET examination.

It was at the campus she first heard of the Civil Services, and by sheer chance plunged into it. "I just tried my luck and got through the UPSC. It was never on the horizon, just pure chance. I got selected for the Railway Traffic Service in 1987."

The diametrically opposite worlds of dance and commercial work at the world's largest carrier of people do not clash in her life, she says. In fact, they are symbiotic.

"It's very convenient. As per pursuing both, I don't find a problem. Thanks to a 9 AM to 6 PM schedule, I can devote evenings and weekends to teaching and rehearsing dance," she says.

As far as work is concerned, despite being a government department, it's very supportive when it comes to sanctioning leave for my performances etc. Also, the administrative discipline, skills and abilities that I learn at work, help me become more organized in dance, while my dance gives me an ability to think and look at issues and problems with a different perspective and provide richer solutions, she adds.

Ananda, who just celebrated her 10th wedding anniversary, says her major support and strength comes from husband Jayant Dwarakanath, VP at Fortune Informatics, following the death of mother Subhasini Shankar, a violinist, who perceived art as life, not a hobby, therefore sending her to an art school instead of a regular school.

The danseuse officer has just returned from the Leh cultural festival, where she performed her danced production "Buddham Sharam Gachchami." "I had been to Leh earlier on a holiday. But, performing as Buddha, in the land of the Buddha, in the open air in the cold desert, was esoteric. It was just too wonderful," she says.

Ananda, who has performed at Cyprus, Emirates, Egypt, Burma, US and Vietnam, the III International Ramayana Festival at Cambodia in 97, and recently the Khajuraho dance festival back home, has also choreographed a dance production called Sri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum, and Jonathan Livingston Seagull, adapted from Richard Bach's book by the same name, where she used Jazz and did freestyle dance.

"It's the heart warming tale of a seagull's search for excellence. I completely identify with Jonathan. It's a Bible to me. Everybody is born with the ability to reach excellence. Some spot it and work towards it, but others don't," she believes.

"The search for excellence, for something beyond the obvious has to be there. That perfection I seek in dance and work," she says.

Despite being a hierarchical and rigid organisation, the Railways is very supportive. There is no lack of freedom. There are ways and methods of providing solutions at work, she adds.

"Initially, not being used to a lady officer, my staff would "Sir" me. When went on an inspection, they even thought I was the daughter of some senior officer, so addressed me as "baby," she says laughing.

But, women build an emotional rapport with staff and colleagues, thus make better managers. As a woman I understand their grievances better, so they are comfortable with me, she adds.

It was the gender issue that she addressed in her last dance production "What About Me." "Art is the language I know, therefore, I express my concern at social inequalities that bother me through the dance form," says Ananda, who is currently working on a thesis on Railways as a network mechanism for tourism development.

"Indian Railways is the largest carrier of people, connecting all corners of the country. I am looking at suggesting special trains with single window facilities for a hassle free journey for tourists. I have conducted surveys. A few suggestions in a survey on Palace on Wheels have already been implemented," she informs.

So besides making Railways a better means of travels, what else is on agenda?

"May be a start a school, a mix of Rishi valley and commercial Public Schools, which will prepare children for both a career and a life!" she adds.