06-Apr-2017 08:18 PM
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Sujata Mohapatra , one of the leading soloists of the country, is an accomplished and versatile Odissi artiste from Bhubaneswar, Orissa. In addition to her training in Odissi, she holds a Master’s degree in Oriya literature from Utkal University and has extensively researched temple architecture relating to the dance form. Disciple and daughter-in-law of the legendary Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, her interest in dance was nurtured at an early age by her parents. Intensively trained and groomed by her guru for more than eighteen years, she has also undergone training at the Odissi Research Centre in Bhubaneswar. Ms. Mohapatra has a compelling and arresting stage presence, with an exhilarating combination of intensity and spontaneity, and her dance is noteworthy for its grace, depth of expression and technical perfection. Widely travelled over the world as a soloist and a leading member of the Srjan Dance Troupe, she also runs this dance school along with her husband Ratikant Mohapatra, who is also a leading Odissi dancer, choreographer, and musician. Ms. Mohapatra often conducts workshops in the major centres of Odissi teaching across India and the world. Her significant performances have been at the Konark Dance Festival, Mukteshwar Dance Festival, Khajauraho Dance Festival, etc. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the Raza Foundation Award (New Delhi), Aditya Birla Kala Kiran Award (Mumbai), Pandit Jasraj Award (Mumbai), Mahari Award, and the Second Sanjukta Panigrahi Award (Washington DC). Sujata Mohapatra lives and works in Bhubaneswar, Orissa.