Anita Ratnam, born 21 May 1954, is an accomplished Indian classical and contemporary dancer and choreographer, whose career spans four decades. A television personality, arts presenter, transcultural collaborator, writer and cultural activist, Anita has been trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Mohini Attam, T'ai chi and Kalarippayattu. Using the movement vocabulary of various art forms she has created a dance style which she calls Neo Bharatam.Training with guru Adyar K. Lakshman, Anita later completed a post graduate diploma in Bharatanatyam at Kalakshetra, Chennai. With an M.A. in Theatre and Television from the University of New Orleans, and a Ph.D in Women’s Studies from Mother Teresa University, Anita has been engaged with the imaging of Indian and Asian women in the prism of performance, and spent ten years as a Television Producer/commentator in the United States with productions including a weekly series on art, travel and culture in India. She is the founder - director of Arangham Trust, set up in 1992 in Chennai, and Arangham Dance Theatre, a performance company (1993).