Munna Shukla

🪔 About

Munna Shukla (7 December 1943 - 11 January 2022) was a distinguished Kathak guru and choreographer of the Lucknow Gharana, based in New Delhi, India. Born into a family with a long lineage in dance, he was the grandson of the renowned Kathak Maestro Achhan Maharaj and a nephew of Birju Maharaj. His initial training in Kathak was under his father, Sunder Lal Shukla. He later received advanced training from Birju Maharaj in New Delhi, supported by the National Scholarship Scheme from the Ministry of Culture, starting in 1961. Shukla also learned tabla from percussionist Manika Prasad. His career as a teacher began in 1968, when he imparted training to advanced Kathak students, both Indian and foreign, at Kala Chhaya in Pune until 1975. During this period, he choreographed numerous duet and group compositions, as well as full-length dance dramas. From 1976 until his retirement in the early 2000s, Munna Shukla was associated with Kathak Kendra (National Institute of Kathak Dance) in New Delhi. After retiring, he continued to teach Kathak in East Delhi and at institutions such as Bharatiya Kala Kendra and Saraswati Music College. He also served as a visiting professor at Nalanda Vishva Vidyalaya and contributed his choreographic talents to the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune and Marathi theatre. His notable compositions include dance dramas like Shan-e-Mughal, Inder Sabha, and Ameer Khusro, along with various other works such as Tratak, Anvesha, and Anga-Muktri. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006), Samman of Sahitya Kala Parishad (2003), Sarangdeo Award (1989), U.P. Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1988), Saraswathi Samman (2011), Raseswar Saikia Award (2018).