Smita Rajeshbhai Shastri

🪔 About

Smita Rajeshbhai Shastri is a distinguished figure in Indian classical dance, renowned for her profound contributions to both Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam. Born in Kolkata, West Bengal, she embarked on her dance journey at the tender age of four, receiving intensive training in Bharatanatyam. Her Bharatanatyam arangetram (debut performance) took place in 1962 under the tutelage of eminent gurus Shri Kitappa Pillai and Shri Chatunni Paniker at the Darpana Academy in Ahmedabad. She also trained under Guru Shri K. Kalyansundaram. Shastri's passion for dance led her to explore Kuchipudi, a journey she began in 1963 after being deeply inspired by the performances of legendary dancers Yamini Krishnamurthy and Vedantam Satyanarayana Sharma. Her Kuchipudi guru entrusted her with the mission to propagate the dance form throughout her life. In 1971, Smita Shastri founded the Nartan School of Classical Dances in Ahmedabad, an institution dedicated to imparting authentic training in Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam. Under her guidance, the school has flourished, awarding the "Nrity Tirth" graduation to over 200 Bharatanatyam disciples and approximately 100 Kuchipudi students. Since 1980, she has organized 19 "Dikshant Samaroh" (graduation ceremonies), showcasing more than 100 Kuchipudi students. She also initiated the "Lila Mukut Nartan Vijaypadma" classical dance competition in 2007 to encourage young dancers. Notably, Smita Shastri upholds the tradition of not accepting "Guru Dakshina" from her students. Her exceptional dedication and significant contributions to Kuchipudi dance were recognized with the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award in 2022, an honor conferred as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. She was also honored with the title "NATYA SIKSHANA VISARADA" by the Sarada Fine Arts Academy, Bapatla, in June 2021. Earlier in her career, she won first prize in the classical dance event at the Gujarat University youth festival for three consecutive years and secured first prize at the 9th All India Inter-University Youth Festival in Delhi in 1964. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award (2022), NATYA SIKSHANA VISARADA (2021), First Prize, Classical Dance Event, First Prize, Classical Dance Event (1964).