Remona Evette Pereira, a third-year BA student at St Aloysius Deemed to Be University, is currently attempting a 170-hour Bharatanatyam dance marathon in hopes of entering the Golden Book of Records. The marathon, which began on July 21, is being held on the St Aloysius College campus and is set to conclude at 1 PM on July 28.
According to Christopher D’Souza, Director of Ranga Adhyayana Kendra, Remona takes a 15-minute break every three hours, as permitted under record guidelines. With over 125 hours already completed, the performance is being thoroughly documented, and an official judge is expected soon to validate her effort.
Remona’s mother, Gladis Pereira, remains her biggest support system. “Her energy rises when there’s an audience. A dedicated team of students and volunteers stays with her in shifts to motivate and assist her,” said D’Souza.
Remona’s journey in Bharatanatyam began at age three under Shrividya Muralidhar, and she performed her Rangapravesha in 2019. She’s also a NSS volunteer, and her vision is to make classical dance inclusive and accessible to orphans, people with disabilities, and transgender individuals. She aspires to pursue a PhD in Bharatanatyam.
A recipient of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (2022), Remona holds multiple records and has been featured on TV shows. Her dance expertise goes beyond classical styles—spanning folk, Latin, hip hop, Bollywood, and acrobatics, with daring feats like dancing on glass, fire props, and even balancing while making tea on her head.