Urvi Teresa Gomes, Kolkata: Shinjan Nrityalaya presented “Sraddhanjali” to pay homage to their beloved Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra, Guru Mahamahopadhyaya R. Sathyanarayana and Guru Raghunath Dutta at Sayajit Ray Auditorium, ICCR Kolkata on the 17th of July, 2023.

While modern times have adopted evolving ethics, Odissi continues to illustrate the ‘Guru Shishya Parampara’. Indian classical dances have developed from spiritual consciousness and strive to keep the body healthy, the mind sharp, and the soul at peace rather than simply serving the purpose of entertainment. In times when we are losing touch with our cultural roots, Shinjan Nrityalaya led by dancer Aloka Kanungo (recipient of the Tagore Scholarship and Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee), not only upholds the tradition but also bestows it to the next generation.

On this occasion Shinjan Nrityalaya felicitated veteran Musicologist Pandit Dr. Gopal Chandra Panda (recipient of the central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Upendra Bhanj Award by the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi). Kalaangan— a Houston (USA) based Cultural Organisation honoured the Ratnaalok Samman, consisting of a Manapatra and INR. 50,000 as a sign of respect, andSmt. Minakshi Mishra Head and Zonal Director, ICCR, Kolkata) presented the award to Dr. Gopal Panda in the presence of Smt. Mohua Dhar (President of Shinjan Nrityalaya) and others.

The audience beheld awe-inspiring solo performances by Susmita Panda, Dr. Subhashree Pattnaik and Urjasee Basak. Shinjan Nritalaya students presented “Tara Pallavi” based on Raag Tara, a group performance featuring Nivedita Daw Dutta, Sagarika Mohanty, Swaralipi Roy, Sarbani Sen, Paulami Chakraborty and Urjasee Basak, showcasing some of the finest compositions of their Guru Aloka Kanungo. Shinjan Nrityalaya aims to bring their students’ accolades to the limelight while simultaneously promoting Indian culture. The classical dance institution continues to nurture performers who are dreamers with only the sky as their limit.