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Renowned Odissi dancer Mayadhar Raut (92) died on Saturday at his Delhi home, his son Manoj Raut said. "He had breakfast this morning, surrounded by his grandchildren and the rest of the family. He wasn't experiencing any illnesses and passed away due to old age," Raut told PTI. The last rites will be conducted at the Lodhi Road crematorium on Saturday. The Padma Shri awardee, born on July 6, 1933 in Odisha, is considered the "Father of Odissi dance", having steered the revival of Odissi in 1950s with Shastra-based knowledge. His training to become one of the foremost artistes of the dance form began at the age of seven with learning the 'Gotipua' dance form, a precursor to the classical Odissi dance. Raut was the first to present the 'Gotipua Dance on stage in 1944. Later, he worked to codify, redefine and restructure Odissi dance to get it the status of a "shastra-based classical dance form". Raut was a founding member of Kala Vikas Kendra in Cuttack in 1952; it was the first
Showcasing India's vibrant colors and cultural diversity, an ensemble of more than 5,000 artists representing over 45 dance forms will perform during the Republic Day celebrations here on January 26. Titled 'Jayati Jai Mamah Bharatam', the program has been conceived by the Ministry of Culture and the Sangeet Natak Akademi and will be presented during the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path, officials said. "This remarkable performance will feature over 5,000 artists representing more than 45 traditional and folk dance forms from across India," the official said. The dance forms that are planned to be showcased include Jhijhiya (Bihar), Mayur Ras (Uttar Pradesh), Dangi (Gujarat), Lambadi (Telangana), and Purulia Chau (West Bengal), among others. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who attended its rehearsals a few days ago, had earlier said, "This is a glimpse of India's fame through its cultural wealth.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condoled the demise of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi veteran Yamini Krishnamurti and said her dedication to Indian classical dance has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. Krishnamurti died at the Apollo hospital here on Saturday. She was 84. "She was suffering from age-related issues and was in the ICU for the last seven months," Krishnamurti's manager and secretary Ganesh had told PTI. In a post on X, Modi said, "Pained by the passing away of Dr. Yamini Krishnamurthy. Her excellence and dedication to Indian classical dance have inspired generations and left an indelible mark on our cultural landscape." "She has worked greatly to enrich our heritage. Condolences to her family and admirers. Om Shanti," the prime minister said.
In yet another deadly attack on Indians and Indian-Americans in the US in recent months, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India and a student of Washington University, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri. Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who migrated to the US from Kolkata last year to follow his dancing dreams, was shot several times near the border of St Louis' Academy and Central West End neighbourhoods. He died on the spot. According to the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened at 7:15 pm on Tuesday at Delmar Boulevard and Clarendon Avenue, news portal 5 On Your Side' reported on Friday. Ghosh was pursuing his master's in the Performing Arts Department of Washington University. Calling him a very friendly and very talented, Ghosh's friends Hima Kuppa and Ravi Kuppa said, He was always travelling a lot for his performances. A lot of organisations called him for performances, but he always wanted to come back to St Louis. Ghos
Renowned classical singer Dr Prabha Atre passed away following a cardiac arrest at her residence here at the age of 92 early on Saturday, sources close to her said. Atre, who represented the Kirana Gharana of the Hindustani classical music, had been honoured with all three of Padma awards by the Indian government. "Atre suffered a cardiac arrest during her sleep at her residence. She was rushed to a private hospital in Kothrud area of the city, where she was declared dead at 5.30 am," a source said. Since some of the close family members of Atre live abroad, her funeral will be performed once they arrive, the source added. Born on September 13, 1932, Atre was known as a multi-faceted personality. Besides being a classical vocalist, she also excelled as an academician, researcher, composer and author. A science and law graduate, she had a doctorate in music. She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the nation's second-highest civilian honour, in January 2022. She was earlier honoured
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed anguish over the sudden death of Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj.In his tweet, Modi acknowledged Pandit Birju Maharaj's remarkable contribution to the Indian dance form."Extremely saddened after learning about the demise of Pandit Birju Maharaj, who gave Indian art a special recognition across the globe. It's an irreparable loss to the entire art world. My heartfelt condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti," he tweeted.Maharaj-ji, as he was popularly known, died surrounded by his family on Monday after suffering breathlessness. He was 83.Reportedly, the Kathak exponent had been suffering from a kidney ailment and was under treatment for the past one month.