Vibha Dadheech

🪔 About

Vibha Dadheech, born Vibharani Gupta on March 12, 1954, is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, choreographer, scholar, and educator specializing in the Kathak dance form. Her early training began at the tender age of seven under Pt. Firtu Maharaj in Raigarh. She further honed her skills in the traditional Guru Shishya Parampara, living and learning at the home of Pt. Shambhu Maharaj in Delhi for two years, where she particularly developed her abhinaya (expressive) skills. In 1975, Dadheech joined the Bhatkhande Music Institute in Lucknow for advanced studies in Kathak shastras. She married renowned Kathak exponent Dr. Puru Dadheech in 1978, becoming his senior-most disciple. Together, they co-founded the Natavari Kathak Nritya Academy in Indore in 1988, which was formally registered as an educational trust in 2004. The academy now operates nine centers across India and offers innovative programs, including online diplomas in Kathak Shastra. Dr. Dadheech holds a Ph.D. in Kathak from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh, awarded in 1988, for her thesis titled "Bhartiya Nritya ki Varnamala – Hast Mudra," which documented over 1100 hand gestures from approximately 23 ancient treatises. She has authored influential works such as "Hastamudras in Gat Nikas" and "Nritya Nibandha," and co-authored "Kathak Nritya Suman" and "Nritya Manjari" with Dr. Puru Dadheech. She also produced the video resource "Nritya Sarvasva" through their Bindu Prakashan imprint, established in 1980. Currently, Vibha Dadheech serves as a faculty member at the Sri Sri Centre for Advanced Research in Kathak (SSCARK) at Sri Sri University, Cuttack, which was launched in 2020 as the world's first dedicated Kathak research center. In this role, she contributes to PhD and Integrated PhD programs and has supervised doctoral research. Her contributions to Kathak have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2021 and the Shikhar Samman in 2016. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Akademi Puraskar) (2021), Shikhar Samman (2016), Chakradhar Fellowship (1994), Senior Fellowship (2011), Singar Mani, Nritya Shringar, Nritya Praveen, Nritya Nipun, First Prize, Inter-university Youth festival (1971), Yuva Kalakar Award (1971), Vimal Bhaskar Award (2022).