Anila Sunder

🪔 About

Anila Sunder is a renowned Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and cultural ambassador, celebrated for her expertise in Kathak and Odissi, and her pioneering efforts in promoting Sindhi art and culture through dance dramas. Born Anila Makhijani on November 11, 1951, in Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra, India, she is a member of the Sindhi community. Sunder demonstrated an early passion for dance, deciding to become a dancer at the age of seven and passing her Kathak examination from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad, by age eleven. She received extensive training in Kathak under eminent gurus such as Hazarilal, Padmashree Damayanti Joshi, and Vijay Kumar Shreshtha. Her Odissi training was guided by Guru Natbar Maharana and Guru Shankar Behra. Anila Sunder holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Mumbai University and briefly served as a lecturer at Jai Hind College, Mumbai, before dedicating herself fully to dance. Her professional dance journey commenced in 1971 with a performance at the Youth Exchange Programme in Japan. Since then, she has performed extensively, staging over 1,000 performances in more than 65 cities across India and 25 countries worldwide. Anila Sunder is particularly acclaimed for conceptualizing and producing numerous thematic ballets that interpret Sindhi history, literature, and social themes. These include "Sindhu" (also known as "Sindhu Dhara"), depicting the lost civilization of Mohenjodaro and the history of Sindh; "Sikka Sajan Jee," based on the love legends of Sindh from Shah Jo Rasalo; "Theeu Na Juda Jani Munkhaan," exploring the conflict between love and wealth; and "Sindh Munhinjee Amaa," which narrates the trials and tribulations of Sindhis during the India partition. Other notable ballets include "Sindhyat Jee Surhan," "Geet Govind," and "Zaal . . . Kadenh Zer, Kadenh Zabar!" She is the Founder-President of the Sindhu Nritya Sangeet Academy, a registered trust in Mumbai, through which she continues to nurture future generations in Indian classical dance. She also serves as director and choreographer for Rachna Nrityalya. Awards & Honours: Sundri Lifetime Sindhyat Award (2016), First Prize in Classical Dance (1968), Award as Distinguished Artiste (1994), 'Jhulelal' Award (1990), Award For Vocational Excellence (1999), Grant recipient.