Mahua Shankar

🪔 About

Mahua Shankar is a distinguished classical Kathak danseuse of the Lucknow Gharana, renowned for her ability to blend subtle innovation with the purity of traditional Kathak. Her journey in Kathak began at the age of five, guided initially by her parents, the late Shri Pradeep Shankar and Smt. Rekha Shankar, who instilled in her a profound love for the art form. She further honed her skills under the tutelage of renowned Kathak exponent Smt. Reva Vidhyarthi and later trained at the prestigious Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, as a disciple of Smt. Vaswati Mishra. A pivotal period in her training was under the legendary Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj, becoming one of his cherished students at the age of 14. Her association with Pandit Birju Maharaj evolved from learning to teaching and performing alongside him as an integral part of Kalashram, his dance institution, from its inception in 1998 until 2009. Beyond Kathak, she is also a Gandha Bandh Shaagird of the eminent Sarangi maestro, Ustad Ghulam Sabir Khan Ji. Since 2009, Mahua Shankar has established herself as an independent performer, captivating audiences globally with her refined, expressive, and graceful style. She is an empanelled artist with the ICCR in the category of Established Kathak Dancers and holds an A-Grade distinction as a Kathak artist with Delhi Doordarshan. Her performances have graced numerous esteemed stages in India and internationally, including the Rashtrapati Bhavan before former President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Mahua Shankar is also the Founder and Director of the Guru Pradeep Shankar Academy of Promoting & Performing Arts, established in December 2015 in honor of her father. The academy, based in New Delhi, is dedicated to nurturing young and emerging dancers and musicians, mentoring students worldwide through virtual platforms, including those from Taiwan, Ukraine, America, Turkey, and Japan. Her visionary choreography project for 150 Japanese students in 2021-22 further highlights her global reach and commitment to promoting Kathak. Awards & Honours: Shringar Mani (2007), Nritya Bhushan (2015).