Mouli Pal

🪔 About

Mouli Pal is a distinguished exponent, captivating performer, dedicated teacher, choreographer, and cultural ambassador of Odissi, an Indian classical dance form. Her intensive training in Odissi was primarily under the direct tutelage of the legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in India, a period she considers a profound blessing in her life. Prior to this, in her late teens, she was deeply inspired to pursue Odissi after witnessing a performance by renowned dancer Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi. She initially trained for two years under Smt. Dipanwita Roy. As a child growing up in Kolkata, she also received five years of training in Manipuri and Bharatanatyam, and later pursued semi-classical dance under Smt. Tanushree Shankar. Pal continues to refine her art under the guidance of eminent artist Smt. Nandini Ghoshal in Kolkata and regularly participates in workshops by master teachers. With a career spanning over two decades, Mouli Pal has dedicated herself to promoting and preserving Odissi through numerous concerts, workshops, and demonstrations. She is a sought-after touring artist, regularly presented by museums, universities, libraries, schools, and cultural institutions across the United States, India, and Austria. Pal is the founder and director of Upasana Odissi Inc., a non-profit organization based in Massachusetts. This institution is committed to the promotion and preservation of Odissi, offering affordable lessons at four locations, organizing free public concerts, and performing at fundraising events. As a choreographer, Pal has created original works, including her first full-length production "Sheva…my precious Treasure" (premiered in April 2016), which explored the connection between the human soul and nature, and "Re-discover Mass through Odissi" (2021), showcasing Massachusetts landscapes through dance. She has been a resident of Wilmington, MA, since 2002. Awards & Honours: Grants from New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), Grants from Mass Cultural Council, Honor for contribution to promoting arts and culture, Padmawati Rasthriya Award (2019).