Ratikant Mohapatra

🪔 About

Ratikant Mohapatra, born on December 24, 1965, in Cuttack, Odisha, is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, percussionist, Guru, choreographer, and archivist of Odissi. He is the son of the legendary Odissi Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Smt. Laxmipriya Mohapatra. Ratikant Mohapatra received his foundational training in Odissi dance and Mardala (percussion) from his father, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. He also acknowledges the influence of other eminent figures such as Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra, Guru Rakhal Mohanty, Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi, Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi, and Smt. Kumkum Mohanty in his artistic journey. By his early twenties, Mohapatra had established himself as a leading male dancer and a masterful Mardala player. He played a crucial role in the 1980s, assisting his father in promoting Odissi globally. Currently, he serves as the Director of Srjan (Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa) in Bhubaneswar, an institution he has developed into a world-class dance academy attracting students internationally. He is also the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Communication and Indic Studies (FACIS) at Sri Sri University, Cuttack. Mohapatra is a prolific choreographer, with over 80 original works to his credit, known for their neo-classical innovations. He notably choreographed Odissi dance sequences for the Indo-Chinese film "The Desire." A significant achievement in his career is setting a Guinness World Record in 2011 (some sources state 2006) by choreographing and directing 555 Odissi dancers in a single performance at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. Beyond performance and choreography, he is an archivist of Odissi, dedicated to preserving the works of his father and other doyens, and has researched the evolution of Pakhawaj-playing. He also curates Srjan's annual Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival. His extensive international travels include performances and workshops in France, Germany, Japan, the UK, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the USA. He has imparted training at numerous prestigious institutions worldwide, mentoring generations of artists. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Odissi Dance (2016), Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for Odissi Dance (2019), "A" Grade in Odissi Dance by Doordarshan, SKGS Diamond Jubilee 'Nritya Choodamani' by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha (2014), Pride of India by Chinta-O-Chetna (2004), Rashtriya Raja Mansingh Tomar Award for Srijan by Govt. of Madhya Pradesh (2011), Honour of Adore for best performance in Dashanana ballet at Barabati Nrutyotsav (2003), Honoured by Indian Performing Arts Promotion Inc., Washington DC, USA (2003), Nrutya Bhushan by International Dance & Theatre Festival (2005), Nritya Shiromani by Utkal Yuva Sanskrutik Sangh (2010), Nrutya Bharati Samman by Sangeet Sudhakar Smruti Sansad (2011), IDC Award of Excellence by International Dance Congress (2012), Bimohan Kala Samman by Bharat Bimohan Creative (2019), Sanjukta Panigrahi Samman by Sanjukta Panigrahi Trust (2005), Bhumiputra Samman by Bharat Sevashram Sangha (2016).