Manisha Sathe

🪔 About

Pandita Maneesha Sathe is a highly acclaimed Indian classical Kathak dancer, choreographer, and teacher, recognized as a torchbearer of the Banaras Gharana. Born on May 26, 1953, Sathe began her Kathak training at the age of six under Pandit Balasaheb Gokhale in Pune. At eleven, in 1964, she moved to Mumbai to become a disciple of the renowned Kathak maestro Pandit Gopi Krishna, whose rigorous training profoundly influenced her dance style, encompassing both Tandav and Lasya elements. In 1975, Sathe established her dance institute, Maneesha Nrityalaya, on Prabhat Road in Pune, with the aim of training students in the Guru-Shishya tradition and providing a platform for Kathak dancers. Under her guidance, Maneesha Nrityalaya has grown from three students to thousands, becoming a leading institute for Kathak and offering certificate and diploma courses affiliated with Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune. Sathe is known for her innovative choreographies that explore contemporary social issues like dowry and female infanticide, and she encourages experimentation by blending Kathak with other art forms, such as Japanese music and Taiko drumming. She also serves as a visiting professor at institutions like Savitribai Phule Pune University's Centre for Performing Arts and Bharati Vidyapeeth University, and is a recognized faculty for Doctoral Research. Her work spans over five decades, making significant contributions to the field of Kathak globally. Awards & Honours: Maharashtra State Cultural Award (2005), Pune Corporation's Gaurav Puraskar, Citadel Award for Cultural Excellence (2006), The Alpha Award for Best Choreography, Maharashtra State Cultural Award (2006), Pandita Rohini Bhate Award (2017), Sarang Sanman (2019), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2025).