Lata Pada is a Canadian choreographer, Bharatanatyam dancer, head of the Sampradaya Dance Creations and founded the dance company in 1990.

Pada said that she founded the company because she wanted to showcase Bharatantyam dance as an art form throughout the world. She trained under the gurus Kalaiamamani Kalyanasundaram and Padmabhushan Kalanidhi Narayanan. She lives in Mississauga

Originally from Bangalore, India, Lata Pada has made Canada her home for thirty-six years. Lata's solo dance recitals have revealed a distinctive style, described as "classicism with an individual stamp of creativity."

Over her remarkable dance career, Lata Pada has performed more than six hundred concerts, including a command performance for the President of India in 1992 and two extensive solo performance tours of North America including appearances at venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of the Arts (New York), The World Bank (Washington). She has also performed at such prestigious international festivals as the International Arts Festival of China (1989), Ibero Americano Theatre Festival (Colombia - 1991), WOMAD (Toronto -1991), Festival of India (Indonesia -1991), Rhythms of India (Toronto -1993), Centro Nacional de Las Artes (Mexico -1995), Kalanidhi Dance Festival (Toronto -1996) and the Canada Dance Festival (Ottawa - 1998).

LATA lost two daughters and her husband in the 1985 Air India Kanishka tragedy:

• On June 23, 1985, her husband Vishnu Pada and daughters Arti and Brinda died in the bombing of Air India Flight 182
• Lata Pada expressed disappointment in the Canadian government's investigation of the Air India incident.
• Lata Pada became a spokesperson for the families of the victims.
• After the crash she created the dance piece "Revealed By Fire" in remembrance of the incident.

Her tremendous inner strength and resilience enabled her cope with this terrible loss and to continue to bring her unique artistic gifts to the world. Pada married geologist Vishnu Pada when she was 17 years old. Pada received a master's degree in fine arts from York University in 1997.

Her first home in Canada was in the remote mining township of Thompson, Manitoba. As the only woman of South Asian origin in her community, Lata embraced the opportunity to learn about Canadian lifestyles and traditions by becoming active in numerous community groups. In turn, she gave dance performances and lectures on the culture and performing arts of India.

She is a founding member of the South Asian Advisory Committee of the Royal Ontario Museum and is assisting in the planning and development of their future South Asian Gallery. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga and currently sits on their Arts and Entertainment Committee.

• Two NRIs named Canada’s highest civilian award

Lata Pada is a Canadian choreographer, Bharatanatyam dancer, head of the Sampradaya Dance Creations and founded the dance company in 1990.

• LATA lost two daughters and her husband in the 1985 Air India Kanishka tragedy: