Dr.Kanak Rele

🪔 About

Dr. Kanak Rele (1937-2023) was a legendary Indian classical dancer, choreographer, academician, and researcher, primarily renowned as an exponent and revivalist of Mohiniyattam, a lyrical dance form from Kerala. Born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, on June 11, 1937, she initially pursued a legal education, earning an LLB from Government Law College, Mumbai, and a diploma in international law from the University of Manchester. Her early exposure to arts at Santiniketan shaped her artistic sensibilities. Rele's formal dance training began with Kathakali under Guru "Panchali" Karunakara Panicker from the age of seven, making her one of the first women to perform the traditionally male-dominated form professionally. She also trained in Bharatanatyam under gurus Nana Kasar and Chokkalingam Pillai. Her profound journey into Mohiniyattam began in the mid-1960s, with formal training under Kalamandalam Rajalakshmi, and further immersive research under traditional practitioners like Kunjukutty Amma, Chinnammu Amma, and Kalamandalam Kalyani Kutty Amma, whose performances she extensively documented. In 1966, Dr. Rele founded the Nalanda Dance Research Centre in Mumbai, which later became affiliated with the University of Mumbai as the Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya in 1973. These institutions were pioneering in offering university degrees (BFA, MFA, PhD) in classical dance, integrating dance with music, literature, philosophy, and yoga. [cite: 7, 13 in previous search] She earned India's first PhD in dance in 1977 from Mumbai University for her thesis on Mohiniyattam. Dr. Rele is credited with developing the "Kanak Rele School" or Sopanam style of Mohiniyattam, which codified its technique, grammar, and repertoire through rigorous kinetic studies and a unique notation system. Her association with playwright Kavalam Narayana Panicker was instrumental in reformulating the musical structure of Mohiniyattam, incorporating Sopana Sangeetham. She choreographed over 50 productions, often featuring strong female characters, and authored significant books like "Mohiniyattam: The Lyrical Dance" and "Bhaava Niroopanna." Dr. Rele passed away in Mumbai on February 22, 2023, at the age of 85, leaving behind a monumental legacy in Indian classical dance. Awards & Honours: Gaurav Puraskar of Gujarat (1989), Padma Shri (1990), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1994), Nrityachoodamani, Madras (1978), Nartan Vilas, Sur Singar Samsad (1983), Vice President's Citation as Best Choreographers (1995), Sarangdev Fellowship (1995), Kala Vipanchee (2005), Kalidas Samman (2006), M. S. Subbulakshmi Award (2010), Padma Bhushan (2013), Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna) (2013), Guru Gopinath National Puraskaram (2018), Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar (2018), Natya Kalottunga (2018).