A big development has happened in Hyderabad, where Jayachandran Surendran, a lecturer and PhD scholar at the Centre for Exact Humanities, IIIT-Hyderabad, has invented an innovative dance teaching tool called Atam. An interesting dice-based tool designed to teach universal dance fundamentals, Atam stands out for its style-neutral and innovative approach. Amazingly, Jayachandran also received a rare patent for this invention on July 25, 2025, from the Indian Patent Office—an uncommon recognition in the field of performing arts. And this news can inspire millions of people around the world.
How Did a Dance Teacher Turn an Idea into a Patent?
The journey began with Jayachandran Surendran’s vision to create something new and inclusive in the world of dance education. With his background as an electronics engineer from Salem and his intense involvement in classical Indian dance, he set out to bridge the gap between traditional pedagogy and modern learning tools.
While teaching dance over the years, Jayachandran frequently encountered a fundamental yet challenging question: How do you teach the very basics of dance to someone who has never danced before?
He imagined a more engaging and flexible approach to learning dance—one that could be understood and enjoyed by anyone, no matter their background or experience. In 2014, he became part of IIIT‑Hyderabad’s Centre for Exact Humanities, where he started combining ideas from temple design, artistic traditions, body movement studies, and the science of how we think and learn. Inspired by ancient temple practices, traditional Tandava movement concepts, and real-world observations of dancers, after working for all these years.
He developed Atam—a hands-on tool that turns learning dance into a fun, chance-based activity. His goal wasn’t just to create trained performers but to introduce the basics of dance to anyone open to movement and expression.
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How Does Atam Turn Dice into Dance?
Atam is a rectangular-shaped device like a real dice. It’s a hands-on, non-digital approach to learning dance through randomization, improvisation, and guided exploration. The way it works is:
- Custom dice with lower-body dance postures on each face
- Randomly select a movement prompt
- Adopt the lower-body posture shown on the dice
- Improvise upper-body movement freely and creatively
- Repeat or combine rolls to create sequences
- Enhances creativity, body awareness, and movement literacy
- Works for any dance style and all skill levels
Who Is the Man Behind Atam?
Jayachandran Surendran is a dance researcher, educator, and lecturer at the Centre for Exact Humanities, IIIT‑Hyderabad. An electronics engineer from Salem, he left his job at Wipro to teach classical Indian dance at Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai. Merging his background in engineering with deep artistic practice, he pursued a PhD focused on universal dance fundamentals. In 2014, he joined IIIT‑H and later developed Atam—a dice-based teaching tool designed to make dance accessible and intuitive. His innovation earned a rare patent in the performing arts, marking a unique contribution to dance pedagogy and interdisciplinary research in India.
What Role Does IPR Play in Creativity and Invention?
Whenever we think about patents, we often imagine large machines, expensive software, or innovations by big companies. But in reality, intellectual property (IPR) law protects all forms of invention, regardless of their size or cost. What truly matters is whether the invention is useful, original, and contributes something meaningful to society. In this case, the dice-based tool Atam is not only innovative in itself but also introduces an entirely new method of learning dance. It redefines how foundational movement can be taught, making it accessible, playful, and inclusive for all.
Conclusion:
Atam shows that even a small idea can make a big difference. Jayachandran Surendran turned a simple set of dice into a smart and fun way to learn dance. His invention not only makes dance easier for beginners but also has a rare patent in the field. Atam proves that creativity, when used with purpose, can change the way we learn and share knowledge.
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