Minati (Dasgupta) Pradhan

🪔 About

Minati (Dasgupta) Pradhan is a noted Indian classical Odissi dancer. She commenced her Odissi training at the age of 12 in 1983, enrolling at the Utkal Sangeet Samaj in Cuttack, where she received her initial instruction from Guru Raghunath Dutta. Following her college education, Pradhan pursued advanced training at the Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre. There, she had the privilege of learning from the legendary Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra himself, as well as Guru Laxmidhar Jena. Her artistic development was further shaped by her studies under Kumkum Mohanty at the same center, and her artistry was also finetuned to some extent by Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. Throughout her career, Minati Pradhan has been an active performer, gracing the stage at numerous prominent festivals across Odisha, including the International Odissi Festival, Soorya Festival, and Natyajali Festival. She frequently performs in duets with her husband, Manoranjan Pradhan, who is also a distinguished Odissi dancer and teacher. Her contributions to Odissi dance have been recognized with the prestigious Mahari Award. She has also taken on directorial roles in dance productions, serving as a "Director of Dances" alongside Guru Manoranjan Pradhan for events such as the "Kanchi Abhijana" presented by a troupe from Utkal University of Culture. Awards & Honours: Mahari Award.