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Kalpalatha (Lata) Thiagarajan
April 10, 1949 - May 27, 2020
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<div itemprop="description"><br>Thiagarajan (Lata) Kalpalatha, born April 10 1949 in Chennai, India, passed away peacefully at 9:25 a.m., on Wednesday May 27 2020, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Canada, following a 12-year battle with cancer.<br> <br>She grew up adventurous, mischievous, fun-loving, and ever-loyal to her older brother and parents. Often dancing on sets of Gemini Studios where her father, Sri Natesan Thiagarajan was an Art Director. She was even featured in a popular Tamil film, Thillana Mohanambal. Lata learned Bharatanatyam dance from her Mother Sri Sarasi Raj and from various senior gurus. She honed and perfected her craft through performance and teaching. <br> <br>In 1971 Lata moved to Canada to join her brother, Thiagarajan Ramanan, along with her parents. There, along with her mother, she opened the Peali Arpana Academy of Classical Dance—an Indian dance school with locations in Montreal, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. Together, they collaborated to bring the rich tradition of Bharatanatyam to North America, and graduated over 150 students. <br> <br>She is the recipient of numerous accolades recognizing her efforts in the arts, and her lifetime of artistic achievements will be remembered by communities, both local and abroad. <br> <br>Lata also loved to travel, was an avid movie-watcher, and adored all animals—especially her beloved cats Molli and Cheali. <br> <br>She is survived by her brother Thiagarajan Ramanan (Jayanthi), her nephews Rajesh (Mandy), Neeraj (Francesca), niece Sarayu (Phil) and their children Jay Austin and Carlo.<br> <br>She will be lovingly remembered as the charismatic and ambitious teacher, dearest Athai (aunt), loyal sister, and devoted friend to so many. <br> <br>Funeral Services will be held at Rideau Funeral home, 4275 Sources Blvd, Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Quebec, H9B 2A6 Canada<br>Donations may be made to Nova West Island, Montreal, www.novawi.org<br></div>