Guru Shovana Narayan
(Kathak Maestro)
An exquisite diamond of her art style, intense and
passionate, elegant yet vibrant, effortlessly spanning centuries of Kathak
heritage as she does her dance space, Shovana Narayan is sheer poetry and
sublime joy transcending boundaries. She is not only India’s most celebrated
Kathak Guru and Maestro of the present age but she has also become a living
legend who has blazed a trail in Kathak, re-defining the ethos and vocabulary
of Kathak bestowing it with dignity and enriching it with a deeper and wider
canvas of expression and dimensions. Every fibre of her body lives and breathes
dance. Her performances are intimate yet pristine. A consummate artiste and
choreographer, a revered guru to her disciples and an intellectual, she
combines artistry with keen observation and humanism. She has also worked in
collaborations with nationally and internationally known Indian and western
dancers and musicians. She has performed before several Heads of States and
Governments all over the world.
In her career spanning several decades that has seen her
mesmerizing audiences all over the world in several prestigious national and
international festivals, she has been conferred with numerous awards,
outstanding among which are the Padmashri Award for excellence and outstanding
contribution to dance by the President of India in 1992 and yet again the
Sangeet Natak Akademi award by the President of India in 1999-2000. Some of the
other awards won by her include Delhi Govt’s Parishad Samman, Rajiv Gandhi
Puraskar, Bihar Gaurav Puraskar, Indira Priyadarshini Samman, Kelvinator’s
GR8Award, Rotary International Award, International Congress of Women and
Japan’s Oisca Award.
Shovana is a dancer with a cause. Deeply committed, involved
and aware of people and their problems, she was deeply involved with the
organisation and presentation of the first artists’ sensitive outpourings and
endeavor to help the families affected by the Kargil war and the Tsunami. She
is a regular and most ardent champion of issues related to women’s problems and
the ‘specially abled’. She is the first dancer to have conceived,
conceptualised and brought out a dance video on the philosophy and legend of
the immortal Khajuraho temples called ‘Dance of the Temples’.
Shovana’s keen interest in research have led to the
discovery of an ancient 4th century BC Prakrit text (in Asokan Brahmi Script)
describing the dance of the Kathaks at Varanasi and also the existence of three
Kathak villages near Gaya (Bihar). She has authored several (10) books and numerous articles on
the subject of dance and is also a visiting lecturer to several Universities in
India and abroad. She has also guided research students for award of PhD degree
in the field of dance.
Shovana is a guru of standing whose disciples are adorning
the world of classical dance. She also holds two annual festivals 2 well known
annual Festivals for the past several years, one featuring the famous maestros
and the other Festival ‘LalitĀrpan’ providing a platform to the young, unknown
but talented future torch-bearers of the tradition. Shovana’s Asavari group is
credited with many path-breaking works.
Extremely versatile she not only holds two MPhil degrees, one
in Defence & Strategic Studies and second in Social Sciences & Public
Administration but she is also a Masters in Physics. She is the first person to
balance two parallel professional careers, one as a very senior civil servant
(IAAS 1976 batch) and as a nationally and internationally awarded classical
dancer of the country. Presently she is holding the onerous responsibility of
Ceremonies & Culture as Special Director General in the Organising
Committee, Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi.
Shovana Narayan is a classical example of a true Kathak,
multi-faceted and dynamic, and presents a challenge to today’s spectator. Her
life, her works, her dignity and demeanour have made her a role model and peer
for millions of girls of the younger generation of today.Rare are artists who can rule the stage for decades. Seldom
still are souls who pour their entire being to nurture life and society.
Shovana Narayan belongs to both the categories.
Travel Plan
Date City
16 Sept Neemrana
17 Sept Alwar
18 Sept Pilani
19 Sept Lakshmangarh
20 Sept Jaipur
21 Sept Kota
22 Sept Ajmer
Thanks and regards Alok Khandelwal
Ankita Sharma State Coordinator
Coordinator SPIC MACAY
SPIC MACAY Rajasthan
Resource Center Rajasthan 09672977907
09166244740
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