Aruna Mohanty

🪔 About

Aruna Mohanty, born on April 4, 1960, is a pre-eminent Indian classical Odissi dancer, choreographer, and guru, widely recognized for her profound contributions to the art form. Her initial training in Odissi began under Shrinath Rout and Gobinda Pal, before she commenced rigorous formal training in 1972 under the visionary Padma Shri Guru Gangadhar Pradhan at the Orissa Dance Academy (ODA) in Bhubaneswar. She further refined her technique and abhinaya (expressive acting) through advanced coaching from legendary gurus such as Padma Vibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra and Padma Shri Kumkum Mohanty. She also received training in Odissi music from Nirmal Mohanty and Shantanu Das. Mohanty made her formal solo debut, or Rangapravesha, in 1979 under Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. Her stage career flourished in the late 1970s and early 1980s, establishing her as a striking soloist and a central figure in ODA's repertory. She has served for decades at the Orissa Dance Academy, progressing from a principal dancer and repertory leader to its Artistic Director and administrative head. Currently, she holds the position of Secretary of the Orissa Dance Academy and is also the President of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, Bhubaneswar. As a choreographer, Aruna Mohanty is known for her innovative approach, blending traditional Odissi aesthetics with contemporary themes and social issues. Her notable choreographic works include 'Srushti O Pralay' (depicting the 1999 Odisha super cyclone), 'Sravana Kumar', 'Kharavela', 'Jatra Baramasi', 'Gatha Odissi', 'Pratinayak', 'Krishna Sharanam', several Ashtapadis from Jayadeva's Gita Govinda, 'Siddhartha' (based on Hermann Hesse's novel), 'Naari' (exploring gender stereotypes), 'Aswatthama', and 'PratiNayaka'. She has conducted extensive research on dance, focusing on topics such as the representation of the male dancer in classical sculpture and the evolution of Odissi post-Independence. Mohanty has toured globally, presenting solo and group performances, workshops, and lecture-demonstrations, and has been a visiting scholar at universities in the United States. Awards & Honours: Padma Shri (2017), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2010), Mahari Award (1997), Sanjukta Panigrahi Memorial National Award (2001), Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award (2014), Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2014), Bharat Bhavan Award, Jagannath Sanskruti Bikash Parishad Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Kalanurangam Samman, Honorary D. Litt, Doordarshan Graded/Top Grade Artist, ICCR Empanelled Artist.