Saumya Shukla

🪔 About

Saumya Shukla is a well-known Kathak artist and teacher, recognized for her elegant, effervescent, and expressive style of dancing and her unique teaching methods. She began her Kathak journey at the age of nine at the Alaknanda Institute for Performing Arts in Noida, India. Her primary guru is the renowned Kathak exponent Nrityashri Alaknanda (also known as Guru Alaknanda Kathak or Alaknanda Dasgupta), who is a disciple of Guru Munna Lal Shukla and Pandit Birju Maharaj. Shukla has also expressed gratitude to Dr. Shovana Narayan as one of her gurus. A dancer for over two decades, Saumya Shukla has performed for diverse audiences at numerous national and international dance festivals. During her senior years of Kathak training, she was encouraged to teach beginner and intermediate students at her institution, where she developed skills as a patient and adaptable teacher. In 2016, she was formally appointed as a Kathak teacher and performer by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in Hungary. She taught at The Amrita Sher-Gil Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Budapest, and since October 2021, she has been a Kathak Teacher, Performer & Cultural Advisor at The Gandhi Centre in The Hague, Netherlands. Currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saumya Shukla continues to carry forward the legacy of Kathak through teaching and workshops in India and abroad. She launched Kathak dance classes in Rotterdam in November 2025. Her performances often explore unique themes, such as the close connection between miniature paintings and Kathak, which she presented at the Government Museum and Art Gallery in Chandigarh in December 2018. She has performed at significant events, including welcoming the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, in the Netherlands in May 2026, and at various cultural festivals in countries like France, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.