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Our Story
"A Legacy of Grace: From Ancient India to Silicon Valley"
Journey of Guru Shradha: A Legacy of Classical Dance
2004
Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's Blessing
2008
Guru Shradha Established
2010-2015
International Recognition
2018
10th Anniversary Celebration
2019-Present
Global Impact & Innovation
Preserving and Propagating the Legacy of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
Our Journey: Key Milestones That Shape Our Story
- 1982 - 1997: The Initiation
- Niharika Mohanty trains under mainstream Canadian Indian dancer, Dr. Menaka Thakkar, a prime disciple of legendary Odissi master Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Governor General's Lifetime Artistic Achievement in Dance Awardee
- Niharika becomes the main Odissi teacher at Dr. Thakkar’s school and company member of MTDC; also teaches in her hometown
- She initiates many collaborations with dancers of various styles, and works with renowned west African dancer, Zelma Badu and Order of Canada awardee Lata Pada
- 1989 - 2004: Training from the Best
- Niharika Mohanty rigorously trains daily under Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra for periods of months over the years
- She accompanies him in his 1996 North American and European tours and plays the key role of Sita in his dance ballet
- 2004: A Sacred Beginning
- Legendary master Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra bestows his blessing on a new institution in North America
- His vision: spreading the ancient art of Odissi dance beyond India's borders
- 2008: The Torch is Lit
- Guru Shradha established as Guruji's second global institution by Director & Principal Teacher Niharika Mohanty with Guru Ratikant Mohapatra as Chief Advisor and Guru Sujata Mohapatra as Artistic Director
- Debut residency at the Asian Art Museum launches our public presence
- First dance workshops guided by Guru Ratikant & Guru Sujata Mohapatra
- 2010-2015: Growing Our Roots
- Launch of the annual Kelucharan Keerti Sampradaya Festival
- International performances in India's prestigious Odissi festivals
- Collaborative productions bridging classical traditions
- 2018: A Decade of Dance
- 10th Anniversary celebration featuring the illustrious trio of the Mohapatra family - Guru Ratikant, Guru Sujata and their daughter Preetisha
- Established as a premier Odissi institution in North America
- 2019-Present: Expanding Our Reach
- Recognition: Best of Palo Alto Dance School Award
- Successful adaptation to global challenges with online instruction
- Evolution to student-teacher mentorship program
- Continued innovation through cross-cultural collaborations
- Legacy in Numbers:
- 15+ years of continuous instruction
- 100s of students trained
- 50+ major performances
- 6 dance styles collaborated with
- 2 continents connected through dance
