Krishna Chandra Naik (Mayurbhanj)

🪔 About

Krishna Chandra Naik, born in 1920 and passing away in 1987, was a revered master and leading practitioner of Mayurbhanj Chhau dance. He was initiated into this martial arts-based dance form at a very young age by his gurus, Jogendra Kumar Bhanja and Bhagwan Das. Naik received significant support and patronage from Maharaja Pratap Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj and his uncle Shridamachandra Bhanj, performing extensively in the Mayurbhanj Royal Court. Throughout his career, Naik was a prolific choreographer and teacher, contributing significantly to the evolution of Mayurbhanj Chhau by introducing bold and creative experiments while meticulously preserving the authenticity of the dance form. He served as a senior guru at the Mayurbhanj Chhau Nritya Pratisthan in Baripada for many years and also undertook training assignments sponsored by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi. His teaching career extended to various cities, including Kolkata, Gwalior, and New Delhi. Notably, in 1972-73, he trained a remarkable group of male and female dancers at the Little Ballet Troupe (LBT) in Gwalior. Following a period with LBT, he moved to Delhi around 1975-76, where he trained the Indian Ballet troupe at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (SBKK), with his salary supported by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Krishna Chandra Naik was also distinguished as one of the few Mayurbhanj Chhau gurus who taught women, and his extensive experience in theatre was crucial in developing full-evening stage performances for the art form. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1975).