Ashish Khokar

🪔 About

Ashish Khokar is a distinguished Indian dance historian, critic, curator, and publisher, widely recognized for his profound contributions to the documentation and scholarship of Indian classical dance. Born on February 29, 1960, in Baroda, Gujarat, he is the son of pioneering dance historian Mohan Khokar and senior Bharatanatyam Guru M.K. Saroja. He holds a Master's degree in Indian History from Delhi University and is a PhD candidate at Mumbai University. Khokar received training in various classical dance forms, including Kathak from Kundanlal Gangani, Odissi from Mayadhar Raut and Aloka Panikar, Bharatanatyam from Shanta Raghavan, Kuchipudi from Krishna Kumar, and Western Ballet from Marianne Balchin. However, he chose to pursue a career in dance scholarship and criticism rather than performance, citing shyness for the stage. Ashish Khokar is best known as the editor and publisher of "Attendance, The Dance Annual of India," a highly respected publication he started in 1998, which serves as a vital platform for critical discourse, research, and archival material related to various Indian dance forms. He has authored and edited over 45 books and 4000 articles on Indian arts and culture, contributing significantly to its scholarship and archiving. His career includes serving as a dance critic for The Times of India for nearly a decade in New Delhi and five years in Bangalore, and as a cultural columnist for India Today. Khokar has also held various cultural administration roles, including with the Delhi State Academy for Arts and the Festivals of India in France, Sweden, Germany, and China. He is the chairman of the Dance History Society and curator of the Mohan Khokar Dance Collection, one of India's largest dance archives. Based in Bangalore, India, his work involves curating exhibitions, organizing seminars, and instituting awards to recognize emerging and established dance talents, thereby fostering a vibrant ecosystem for Indian classical dance. *Note: The biographical details provided in the user's prompt (death on September 5, 2012, in Chennai; birth on April 9, 1926, in Kodungallur; parents Nanthialath Madhava Menon and Changaradi Ammalu Amma; inspiration from T.R. Sundaram's film 'Balan' in 1938; association with Gemini Studios and Guru Gopinath) pertain to Guru Gopalakrishnan, a prominent dancer and choreographer, and not Ashish Khokar. Ashish Khokar is a renowned dance historian and critic, distinct from the performing artist described in the provided incomplete bio.*