Niharika Mohanty

🪔 About

Niharika Mohanty is a leading Odissi dancer, teacher, and choreographer, widely recognized in the United States and a prominent disciple of the legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Born Oriya and raised in Canada, she currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Mohanty began her Odissi training at the tender age of five, receiving early instruction from Guru Murali Dhar Majii, Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Smt. Ananda Radha, and Dr. Menaka Thakkar. Her primary and most influential training was under Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, whom she regarded as a father and spiritual guide, training with him for extended periods over many years. She continues to refine her dance under the guidance of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra and Guru Sujata Mohapatra. Mohanty holds an M.A. in Dance from York University in Toronto and has been performing professionally for over two decades. Her career includes performing leading roles as part of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's company, Srjan, and extensively as a soloist across North America, India, and Europe. She commenced teaching Odissi in 1993 and formally began choreographing in 1996. In 2008, with the blessing of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, she founded Guru Shradha, a premier Odissi institution in North America dedicated to propagating his illustrious tradition. Guru Shradha is noted as Guruji's second global establishment. Mohanty is also committed to promoting Odissi through organizing tours, festivals, and programs. She served as the Chair of the Odissi Alliance of North America (OANA) from 2022 to 2024 and remains on its Board. She is known for her collaborative projects, often uniting Indian classical dance with other styles and cultures. Awards & Honours: Mosaic Silicon Valley Fellow (2019).