Pandanallur Subbaraya Pillai, a well known Bharatanatyam guru, passed away on May 12.

He was the first student who directly studied dance from the legendary dance guru Pandanallur Meenakshisundaram Pillai.

Subbaraya Pillai was 94.

He was a descendant of the Thanjavur Quartet and was the son of guru Chockalingam Pillai.
Chockalingam had taught people like Rukmini Devi Arundale.

Subbaraya Pillai had the good fortune to learn dance from his father and from the great Meenakshisundaram Pillai.
That made him a sought-after dance guru.
Among the many awards he was decorated with the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
Among his well known sishyas were Alarmel Valli and Meenakshi Chittaranjan.