Aparupa Chatterjee

🪔 About

Born and raised in Kolkata, India, within an artistic and musical family, Aparupa Chatterjee embarked on her Odissi dance journey at a young age. She was initially inspired by Smt. Sharmila Basuthakur and introduced to the dance form by Smt. Poushali Mukherjee, a disciple of the late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Chatterjee underwent rigorous formal and professional training in traditional Odissi at Srjan, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Nrityabasa, Bhubaneshwar, under the tutelage of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra and Guru Sujata Mohapatra. Beyond Odissi, she also received training in Dhrupad Vocal from the late Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Khan Dagar. In 2007, Aparupa Chatterjee moved to the United States to pursue her doctoral degree at Texas A&M University, bringing Odissi to Texas. That same year, she was honored with the National Scholarship from the Government of India and the "Singar Mani" title from Sur Sansad, Mumbai. She founded the Odissi Dance Company in 2009 as an adjunct organization of Texas A&M University, which later became a 501(c)(3) non-profit, performing and teaching worldwide. She also established the International Institute for Culture and Performing Arts Development (IICPD) in College Station, Texas, dedicated to promoting Odissi in the USA. As a distinguished Odissi dancer, choreographer, and mentor, Dr. Chatterjee is acclaimed for her grace, creativity, and profound understanding of the classical art form, often blending purity with outstanding improvisations. She has performed extensively as a soloist and as a member of the Srjan repertory across India, the US, and internationally. Her career highlights include performing lead roles in Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's iconic repertory and new contemporary works by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra. She was featured as an Odissi dancer on USA's ABC "Dancing with the Stars" in 2013, and the Odissi Dance Company appeared on Season 10 of "America's Got Talent." Dr. Chatterjee continues to perform, choreograph, and teach in various locations including Texas, North Dakota, and New York, and she curates the annual Kelucharan Guna Keertanam festival, which she initiated in 2012. Awards & Honours: Gold medal, 1st position in Inter-Collegiate Oriental Dance Competition, Award for winning All Bengal Talent Search Competition (1993), National Scholarship (2007), Singar Mani (2007), Best Performers, Best Dancer of the Year Samman, Ka Samman, Dancer of Young Generation, Individual Artist Fellow (2023).