Sutapa Talukdar

🪔 About

Sutapa Talukdar is a highly acclaimed Indian classical dancer, teacher, and choreographer, renowned for her contributions to the Odissi dance form. She began her dance journey at the age of six, simultaneously learning Manipuri, Kathakali, and Mohiniattam. Her initiation into Odissi was under Guru Muralidhar Majhi, and she subsequently became a dedicated disciple of the legendary Guru Padma Vibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra, training with him from 1981 to 2004. Talukdar also received training in Bharata Natya Shastra from Padmasree Padmaa Subramanium and mime from Bharatratna Kalanidhi Narayan, with a brief period of study under Padmasree Sanjukta Panigrahi. As a performer, Sutapa Talukdar has graced prestigious dance festivals across India, including Ellora, Konarak, Dover Lane Music Conference, Khajuraho, and Elephanta. Her international performances include tours in England and Scotland (1984, 1986), the USA, Canada, and several European countries (1987), and Indonesia (1994). She frequently appears on Doordarshan's regional and national network dance programs. In 1987, she founded her dance school, Gurukul, in Calcutta (Kolkata), aiming to perfect students with a genuine interest in Odissi. She formed Gurukul's creative team in 2004 and has been actively involved in performing, teaching, and choreographing since the early 1980s. Talukdar is also an adjudicator for dance competitions organized by the West Bengal Sangeet Academy and has conducted workshops in West Bengal and Houston, USA. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2019), Sringarmani.