Benazir Salam

🪔 About

Benazir Salam, born on January 17, 1979, in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, is an accomplished Indian classical dancer and teacher specializing in Odissi. Her dance journey began at the age of four in 1983, under the tutelage of Abdul Hasib Panna at Nikkon Shilpi Goshthi in Rajshahi. She received early training in various dance forms, including Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, modern dance, and folk dance, under gurus such as Shibli Mohammad, Belayet Hossain Khan, Shaju Ahmed, and Minu Haque. Salam pursued higher education in Odissi dance, earning both her undergraduate (honors) and master's degrees from Rabindra Bharati University between 1996 and 1999, supported by a scholarship from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). She excelled academically, securing the first position and a university gold medal for both degrees. During her time at the university, she was a disciple of renowned dancers Muralidhar Majhi and Poushali Mukherjee, and continues to take lessons from Murolidharan Majhi. Her career includes significant teaching roles; she instructs Odissi dance at her own institution, Nupur, in Bangladesh, and also serves as a dance teacher at the Bangladesh Shishu Academy in Dhaka. Benazir Salam has also showcased her choreographic talents by directing the dance drama "Hridoye Mandrilo Damadam Guruguru" and has been involved in awareness programs organized by the Shishu Academy. She has also conducted online workshops on Odissi Classical Dance for the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), High Commission of India. Awards & Honours: National Child (1986), National Child (1988), National Child (1989), Gold Medal (Manipuri Dance) (1988), Gold Medal (Modern Dance) (1988), Gold Medal (Kathak Dance) (1988), First Prize (Classical Dance - Kathak) (1990), UNESCO Clubs Cultural Award (1990), University Gold Medal (Undergraduate in Odissi), University Gold Medal (Master's in Odissi), First Prize.