Vani Madhav

🪔 About

Vani Madhav is an eminent Indian classical Odissi dancer, choreographer, and researcher, recognized for her profound contributions to the art form. Born and brought up in Odisha, the cradle of Odissi, she began her dance training at the tender age of six under the tutelage of Guru Gajendra Panda. She later refined her artistry in the distinctive aesthetics and philosophy of the Guru Debaprasad Das style through advanced training under the eminent Guru Sudhakar Sahu, a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. She has also received training under Guru Durgacharan Ranbir. With over three decades of dedicated practice and performance, Vani Madhav has earned critical acclaim for her expressive abhinaya, commanding stage presence, and refined technique. She has performed extensively at prestigious festivals and cultural platforms across India and abroad, including the Arudra Festival, Natyanjali dance festival, Hampi Utsava, and Bhartham Mansoon Festival. Beyond her performing career, Vani Madhav is an inspiring teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience. She founded and leads "Nritya Dhara" in Gurugram, NCR-New Delhi, a voluntary cultural organization established in 2011, dedicated to preserving, promoting, and disseminating India's rich classical dance heritage. Through Nritya Dhara, she nurtures the next generation of Odissi dancers with a strong emphasis on tradition, discipline, and artistic excellence. As a Senior Fellow of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Vani Madhav has undertaken significant research contributing to the documentation and enrichment of Indian classical dance traditions. She is also an empanelled artist of the Festival of India, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), and Doordarshan, and serves as the Culture-Head for "ASSOCHAM – WOMEN'S FORUM." Awards & Honours: Gold medal at National Youth Festival (1990), Silver medal at East Zone Inter University Youth Festival (1989), Nrutya Visharad, Sangeet Bhaskar, Yuva Ojaswini Alanakaran Award, Individual Production Grant.