Aishwarya Hegde

🪔 About

Aishwarya Hegde is a distinguished Indian classical Odissi dancer, educator, and the Artistic Director of Deepam Odissi Academy in Muscat, Oman. Her journey in Odissi began at the age of seven in Muscat under the tutelage of Guru Shri Deepak Roy. She further honed her skills through advanced training with revered names in the Odissi world, including Smt. Sujata Mohapatra, Guru Uday Shetty (Nrityagram), and Smt. Arushi Mudgal. Rooted in the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Gharana, Hegde's dance is celebrated for its precision, depth, and emotive quality. She assumed the role of Artistic Director of Deepam Odissi Academy in 2018, an institution founded by her guru in 1994, transforming it into a vibrant cultural hub that fosters Odissi dance and interdisciplinary artistic collaboration. Hegde has garnered critical acclaim and titles such as Laasya Bharathi, Natya Saradhi, and Natyasri. Her notable performances include being the first Indian classical artist to perform at the National Museum of Oman during the unveiling of the rare manuscript Anis-Al-Hujjaj. She also collaborated with the all-Omani band 'Scales' to reinterpret Vande Mataram, a performance lauded by the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. Hegde has led her troupe to international stages, including the 60th World Dance Congress at the Dora Stratou Theater in Athens, Greece. In 2025, she was invited as a cultural panelist at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, representing Indian classical dance and its role in preserving identity among diaspora communities. Through Deepam, she has conceptualized and produced innovative shows like "Roopantar – A Metamorphosis of Art," integrating dance with animation and Indian folk art, and actively conducts lecture demonstrations to promote Indian classical dance globally. Awards & Honours: Laasya Bharathi, Natya Saradhi, Natyasri.