Dr. Chitra Krishnamurti

🪔 About

Dr. Chitra Krishnamurti is a distinguished Indian classical Odissi dancer, choreographer, and educator. Her foundational training in Odissi began with Guru Surendra Nath Jena at the Triveni Kala Sangam in New Delhi. She further honed her artistry under the guidance of two eminent figures in Odissi, the late Padmashri Sanjukta Panigrahi and Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Dr. Krishnamurti has performed extensively across the United States, India, and Japan, receiving critical acclaim. Her notable performances include invitations by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., for their "Puja" (1996) and "Devi" (1999) exhibits. She is recognized for her dedication to preserving the classical purity and tradition of Odissi in the United States. As a choreographer, she has created and produced numerous dance dramas, such as "Mahatma Gandhi," "Meera," "Sudama Charitram," "Dasavatar," "Karna," and "Gita Govindam." Beyond her contributions to dance, Dr. Krishnamurti holds a PhD in biochemistry and retired in 2015 from her role as Deputy Director of the Office of Research Training and Minority Health at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. She is the founder and director of Nrityalaya, an Odissi dance school in Potomac, Maryland, which has been promoting the art form through teaching and performances for nearly 30 years, making it one of the oldest Odissi schools in the United States. Awards & Honours: Grants from the Arts Council of Montgomery County, MD, Grants from the Montgomery County Commission on the Humanities, MD, Honored by several famous gurus of Odissi for promoting Odissi in the United States (2002).