Hello everyone!

We're Abhinaya, the Competitive & Local Indian Classical Dance Team from the University of California, Riverside (UCR).

After countless hours of practice, dedication, and passion, Abhinaya competed at our first ever competition in 2024 and with your help, we hope to continue our journey and attend more competitions this year as well as expand our local presence in SoCal!

This year we are seeking to raise $500 for our local team funding local travel and costume expenses and $3500 for our competition team funding flights, hotels and competition fees.

We are proud to say that our competition team has been selected to compete at NCSU's Navarasa 2026 and UTD Hansini 2026 in our third competition season. However, we find ourselves facing a financial challenge. Currently, our team lacks the funds needed to make this journey possible. We humbly seek your support to help us seize this incredible opportunity and make Abhinaya's mark at the upcoming event. (This competition is not only a chance for us to showcase our talent but also an opportunity to contribute to the noble causes each competition fundraises for!)

After calculating all the upcoming costs to send our 12 dancers to North Carolina and Dallas and 6 dancers all over Southern California, our total costs are nearing $14,000. This total includes flights to and from the event, hotel costs, competition fees, food, transportation, costumes, and any other fees that we may run into at the event.

On GoFundMe we are seeking to raise $4,000 by the start of our competition season (January 10th) ! Your contribution will not only support our team but also contribute to spreading the beauty of Indian Classical Dance across the nation.

Join us on this journey, and together, let's make a lasting impact through the art of Indian classical dance. Thank you for being a part of our story!

Information about our team:

Abhinaya at the University of California, Riverside was established in 2018 forming a community of dancers passionate about the various Indian Classical Dance forms. Abhinaya auditioned and got into their first ever competition attending Navarasa at NCSU in 2024 The team has performed at various campus events, practiced and produced videos showcased on @ucrabhinaya on Instagram, and partnered with clubs on campus to educate others about the various dance styles. This year, Abhinaya hopes to grow as an Indian Classical Dance Competition AND Local Team to further spread these beautiful art forms.

Meet the Team:

Abhinaya 2025 - 2026 Board:

Sindhoori Kalavacharla - Team Manager

Niyati Govind - Team Advisor

Rishitha Kona - Team Advisor

Shravya Ganna - Bharatanatyam Captain

Janani Kalyanaraman - Bharatanatyam Captain

Suhani Jha - Kathak Captain

Sanjna Banerjee - Finance Director

Medha Raj - Production Director

Competition Team Dancers:

Shravya Ganna - Bharatanatyam

Janani Kalyanaraman - Bharatanatyam

Suhani Jha - Kathak

Sindhoori Kalavacharla - Bharatanatyam

Medha Raj - Bharatanatyam

Sanjna Banerjee - Bharatanatyam

Sivani Perisetla - Bharatanatyam

Suhani Hazari - Bharatanatyam

Sheen Raina - Bharatanatyam

Prisha Bhattarai - Bharatanatyam

Ria Radtke - Kathak

Local Team Dancers:

Niyati Govind - Bharatanatyam

Rishitha Kona - Kathak

Sreeharshini Kadiyala - Bharatanatyam

Sriharshita Vissapragada - Bharatanatyam

Amizhthini Arivazhagam - Bharatanatyam

Sahaana Balamurali - Bharatanatyam

Naga Hasini Muppidi - Odissi