Ratna Roy

🪔 About

Dr. Ratna Roy is a preeminent guru, scholar, and dancer of Odissi, recognized as a leading exponent of the Mahari tradition of Guru Pankaj Charan Das. Born in Ranchi, Bihar, India, she began her dance journey at age four with classical Kathak. She pursued higher education, earning a B.A. in English from Ranchi University (1962), an M.A. from Calcutta University (1964), and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Oregon (1972). Roy commenced her Odissi training in her twenties, initially for physical rehabilitation, studying with Guru Govinda Chandra Pal before becoming a prominent disciple of Guru Pankaj Charan Das. A distinguished academic, Dr. Roy serves as a full-time faculty member in Expressive Arts and literature at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, USA, where she was instrumental in establishing an undergraduate course in Dance Ethnology. Her scholarly pursuits include a Fulbright Scholarship (1985-1986) to research Odissi's rediscovery in India and an American Institute of Indian Studies Fellowship (1988) for indigenous theater traditions. She is currently completing her second book on Odissi, with research focusing on dance education, self-empowerment, healing, storytelling, political voice, and choreography. As the founder and artistic director of the Urvasi Dance Company, established in 1975 in Seattle and Olympia, Washington, Roy has performed and choreographed internationally across Europe, Asia, and North America. She received the National Endowment for the Arts Choreography Fellowship in 1989, creating significant works like "Jhansi Ki Rani" and "Dowry Death." Her primary mission is to reconstruct and promote the mahari dance tradition, aiming to establish a research institute dedicated to this women's tradition. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from Odisha (2015), the ADI GURU PANKAJ CHARAN DAS PARAMPARA SANMAN (2018), and a Certificate of Excellence from the Indian Arts & Heritage Society (2003). Awards & Honours: Fulbright Scholarship (1985), American Institute of Indian Studies Fellowship (1988), National Endowment for the Arts Choreography Fellowship (1989), Award from Arts International Fund for U.S. Artists at International Festivals and Exhibitions (2001), Certificate of Excellence (Indian Arts & Heritage Society) (2003), Lifetime Achievement Award from Odisha (2015), ADI GURU PANKAJ CHARAN DAS PARAMPARA SANMAN (2018).