Dona Ganguly

🪔 About

Dona Ganguly (née Roy), born on August 22, 1976, in Behala, Kolkata, is a celebrated Indian Odissi dancer and educator. Her journey in dance began at the tender age of three, initially under the tutelage of Amala Shankar. She later transitioned to Odissi, receiving guidance from Guru Giridhari Nayek. A pivotal moment in her career was her extensive training under the legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, under whom she trained for 25 years. Mohapatra often accompanied her performances on the Pakhavaj in the early stages of her career and considered her an ideal student, even traveling to Kolkata to teach her. Ganguly has performed extensively both nationally and internationally, gracing prestigious stages such as the Dover Lane Music Conference in Kolkata, Konarak Festival, Uday Shankar Dance Festival, and the 'India by the Nile festival' in Egypt. Her performances have garnered critical acclaim, with The Hindu newspaper noting her sculpturesque 'anga suddhi' reminiscent of Sanjukta Panigrahi. In 2000, Dona Ganguly founded her own dance institution, Diksha Manjari, in Kolkata, which was inaugurated by the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. The academy has grown significantly, boasting over 2000 students and offering classes not only in Odissi but also in yoga, drawing, karate, and swimming. She is dedicated to propagating Indian classical dance and preserving the pure Kelucharan Mohapatra gharana. Ganguly is also the head of the Odissi department at Bharati Vidya Bhavan and Tecno India Schools. She is an 'A' graded artist of Doordarshan and has choreographed several productions, including Rabindranath Tagore's dance drama 'Shapmochan'. Awards & Honours: Dona Roy Day (1995), Honorary Citizenship, Honorary Citizenship, Honorary Citizenship, Honorary Citizenship, Honorary Citizenship, Jadubhatt Puraskar, RD Burman Memorial award, Uttam Kumar Award, Satyajit Award, Gold medal for final year examination, Special Prize for Durga Puja Carnival Performance (2022).