Jayant Kastuar

🪔 About

Jayant Kastuar is a highly renowned Kathak exponent, arts administrator, speaker, thinker, and visionary in the world of Indian performing arts today. Born on January 26, 1956, in Jamshedpur, India, and hailing from Biharsharif in Bihar, he received his education at the prestigious St. Stephen's College in Delhi, where he studied history and later pursued doctoral studies in Buddhist art. Kastuar began his journey in dance at a very young age, taking to the stage in 1957 and giving his first solo Kathak performance in 1959, gaining wide acclaim as a child prodigy in the late 1960s. His initial Kathak training was under Gurus Banbihari Acharya and Indra Kumar Pattanaik. He later received advanced training in Delhi from the renowned master of the Jaipur Gharana, Pandit Durga Lal, and is now recognized as an outstanding representative of Pandit Durga Lal's Kathak style. Kastuar has performed extensively across India and participated in major dance festivals, known for his commanding solo performances that blend tradition with innovation. He excels in Nritta (pure dance), Nritya, and Abhinaya (expressional parts), showcasing a wide range of innovative Gatnikas and rendering Bhava to various compositions, including those in Korean and Chinese. Beyond his performing career, Jayant Kastuar has made significant contributions as an arts administrator. He joined the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Performing Arts, in 1984 as Deputy Secretary for its dance department. He briefly served as the Director of Kathak Kendra, the national institute of Kathak dance, before becoming the Secretary and Chief Executive of the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1999, a position he held for over twelve years. In this role, he pioneered national projects and initiatives for the preservation and promotion of diverse performing art traditions, including Kutiyattam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Sattriya, and Chhau dances, as well as regional music, theatre, and puppetry. He has also taught dance to young students and conducted numerous workshops in various cities, guiding hundreds of aspiring dancers. He has been honored with the Raseswar Saikia Barbayan Award of Assam and the Tala Vadya Samman from the Mardala Academy, Bhubaneswar. Awards & Honours: Raseswar Saikia Barbayan Award, Tala Vadya Samman.