Bhubaneswar (Odisha): Well-known Malaysian Bharatanatyam exponent Sri Ganesan, in his sixties, collapsed while attending a function in the city on Friday evening and was later declared dead by doctors of a hospital here.
The incident took place when Ganesan, who is the director of Sri Ganesalaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, had come to receive an award from a cultural organisation, which was hosting the Devadasi Dance event at the Bhanja Kala Mandap. Friday was the final day of the three-day event.
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People, who attended the event, said that the famed Bharatanatyam exponent performed his dance before the audience. However, later while lighting the lamp, he collapsed on the stage. He was rushed to the Capital Hospital in the Ganga Nagar area, but the doctors there declared him dead, said the organiser of the cultural event.
According to a doctor at the Capital Hospital, Ganesan's death could be due to sudden cardiac arrest. The exact cause of his death will be ascertained only after the post-mortem, the doctor said. The organiser also said Ganesan's immediate family members have been informed about his death and his body will be handed to them after post-mortem.
According to Jagabandhu Jena, organiser of the festival, the famed Bharatanatyam dancer was in good health when the program started. "He performed a Bharatanatyam recital based on the Geet Govind in the cultural program. However, unfortunately, he collapsed on the stage while lighting the lamp," added Jena.
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