was recognized for her talent from a very young age, and has enjoyed an unbroken career with performances spanning two decades.  Nirupama’s career achievements include over 100 solo dance recitals, lecture demonstrations and workshops both in India and other countries.  She has performed in many prestigious venues in Afghanistan, the United States and in India.

In dance choreography, Nirupama thrives on presenting programs that are strictly traditional in nature, but she also often takes up the challenge of combining the best of classical dancing with innovative ideas for presentation.  

She has conceived of, choreographed and presented several solo thematic programs. One explored the compositions of the famous Indian poet Subramania Bharathi. Another explored the role of the ‘sakhi’ or the friend in Indian literature, poetry, music and dance. The most challenging program broke away from the tradition of presenting songs from different ragas and instead compiled songs based on one particular Indian raga alone.  Nirupama has conducted workshops on the 'Appreciation of Bharatanatyam' in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1999, and in 2002.  

Nirupama’s achievements earned her the title of 'Ezhisai Natya Roopa’ (Dancer of the Seven types of Music) awarded by the Cultural Center for Performing Arts in India.

Nirupama started her training in Bharatanatyam at the age of seven under the tutelage of the eminent guru Swamimalai S. K. Rajarathnam in Madras, India.  In 1983, she completed her Arangetram or solo dance debut.  After this, she spent many fruitful years upto her early adulthood imbibing the graceful and evocative Vazhuvoor style from one of its greatest proponents. 

Nirupama also undertook an in-depth study of Abhinaya or the art of facial expression under Guru Kalanidhi Narayanan, who has been called the ‘Queen of Abhinaya’. She is among a small band of disciples who have imbibed this renowned style of abhinaya  for many years. The style is characterized by a deep understanding of poetry and an accompanying intense depth of feeling while translating it into dance. 

Guru Kamala Rani the Chief Nattuvanar at the famous Indian cultural institution, Kalakshetra, trained her in Nattuvangam or the art of conducting a dance recital. 

Reviews:

‘Nirupama’s dancing was flawless.  Her dancing reminded one of a painting that had come to life on stage’.
           --- Soundara Kailasam in a speech following a performance for R.R.Sabha, Madras, India in 1986. 

‘Few dancers possess equal skill in nritta and abhinaya as Nirupama does.  The skill that she displayed in all aspects of her dancing reminded one of the dancing of the legendary Kumari Kamala Laxman of yesteryears’.
          --- Professor V. Subramaniam in a letter of appreciation following performance for Indian Fine Arts Society in 1991.

'Nirupama possesses an in-built calm, leisurely approach, which brought about a certain harmonious blend in the musical and dance aspects of her presentation. She was at ease while presenting the central item, 'Ma Mohalahiri'. While she handled the technical side with precision, her presentation of the sancharis was lively'.
          ---Nandini Ramani in the Hindu, 1998.