Prabha Marathe

🪔 About

Prabha Marathe (October 8, 1936 – December 31, 2025) was an acclaimed Indian Kathak dancer, choreographer, pedagogue, and cultural patron, renowned for her pioneering role in promoting the lyrical Lucknow gharana style of Kathak. Born in Pune, Maharashtra, she began her formal Kathak training in the 1950s under Guru Rohini Bhate, where she spent approximately ten years, demonstrating early proficiency in lead roles in productions like "Geet Govind" and "Krishna Koyna". Inspired by Pandit Birju Maharaj, Marathe relocated to Delhi in the late 1950s/early 1960s to pursue advanced studies under his tutelage at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and Kathak Kendra. She received a National Scholarship from the Government of India in 1960 for her Kathak studies and became a Gandabandh shagird (formal disciple) of Pt. Birju Maharaj, deeply immersing herself in the Lucknow gharana's nuanced expressions and rhythmic complexities. Upon returning to Pune in 1965, Marathe founded the Kalachhaya Cultural Centre to propagate Pt. Birju Maharaj's distinctive style, transforming it into one of the city's largest and most influential performing arts hubs. The center, supported by the Maharashtra government, developed specialized facilities and hosted renowned events and festivals. Marathe's choreographic works included "Virahini," "Shyam Bansuria," "Gyaneshwari," "Avyakta ki Khoj Mein," and "Shanti Aaradhana," blending traditional and contemporary themes. She was credited with popularizing and documenting Kathak techniques in Maharashtra. Prabha Marathe passed away on December 31, 2025, in Pune at the age of 89. Awards & Honours: National Scholarship (1960).