Jaya Mehta

🪔 About

Jaya Mehta is a renowned and internationally acclaimed Odissi dancer, author, and educator, based in New Delhi, India. She holds a BFA in Painting from the College of Arts, New Delhi, and a Master's in Ancient Indian History from JNU, which deeply informs her interdisciplinary approach to art. Mehta received her extensive training in the Odissi dance style of Guru Surendra Nath Jena from her Guru Pratibha Jena Singh. She also trained in the Odissi percussion instrument, the Mardala, under Guru Prafulla Kumar Mangaraj. Her performances are characterized by sculptural lines, natural movement, painterly expression, and a devotional quality, vividly bringing together storytelling and Indian arts. Beyond her dance performances, Mehta is a prolific multi-media artiste. She has authored "The Poetic Saree – Dance Poems from India," a collection of dance-poems that have been performed internationally, and "Nritya Katha - Indian Dance Stories for Children," published by the National Book Trust of India. Her insightful articles on Indian art and culture have been featured in prominent Indian newspapers like the Times of India and Hindustan Times. She founded and leads her dance school, 'Odissi Kalaa Ashram,' in New Delhi, where she guides an ensemble of young dancers in the Guru Surendra Nath Jena style. Mehta also conducts innovative workshops globally, aiming to connect individuals to Indian culture through dance and explore its various art forms. Awards & Honours: ODISSI JYOTI (2008).