Madhulita Mahapatr

🪔 About

Madhulita Mohapatra, born in 1978 in Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi district, Odisha, India, is a distinguished exponent of Indian classical Odissi dance and a practitioner of Sambalpuri folk dance. She began her initial Odissi training under Guru Krushna Chandra Sahoo at Kalahandi Kala Kendra, Bhawanipatna. Her education continued in Bhubaneswar, where she received guidance from Guru Pabitra Kumar Pradhan. Mohapatra further honed her skills at the Odisha Dance Academy, studying under the tutelage of Padma Shri Guru Gangadhar Pradhan and Guru Smt. Aruna Mohanty. She holds a Nrutya Acharya from the Odisha Dance Academy and a Nrutya Shastri from the Sangeet Natak Academy. Additionally, she was initiated into Sambalpuri folk dance by Shri Bhimsen Sahoo. Mohapatra moved to Bengaluru in 2008 and established the Nrityantar Academy of Performing Arts in June 2008, with its Bengaluru center officially inaugurated in October 2009 by Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. As the Artistic Director of Nrityantar, she is dedicated to promoting and popularizing Odissi in South India through performances, teaching, and nurturing new talent. Her academy's dance troupe, the Nrityantar Dance Ensemble, is a sought-after classical dance group and hosts an annual Odissi festival called 'Naman,' which commenced in 2009. She has been a guest faculty member at Reva University, Bengaluru, teaching students pursuing master's degrees in Odissi dance. An empanelled artiste of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and a graded performer on Doordarshan, Mohapatra has performed extensively across India and internationally. She is also committed to community outreach, offering free Odissi classes to underprivileged students in government schools in Bengaluru. As of December 2024, she teaches over 300 students in Bengaluru and more than 1000 online students globally. Awards & Honours: Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2018), Kempegowda Award, IIDF Award (2017), BCKA Yuva Kala Pratibha Award, GTF Women's Excellence Award, Aarya Award for Women Achievers, Arathi Kala Ratna, IIW She Inspires Award (2024), Devi Awards Bhubaneswar (2024).