Sambhu Bhattacharya

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Shambhu Bhattacharya was a distinguished Indian dance maestro and choreographer, widely recognized for his significant contributions to modern and creative dance. He gained prominence in the early 1940s as a modern dancer and choreographer, performing extensively across India. Bhattacharya was closely associated with the Indian Peoples Theatre Association in Bengal. His creative genius extended to film choreography, most notably the iconic "Ghost Dance" (Bhooter Naach) in Satyajit Ray's acclaimed 1969 film, "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne". He also contributed his choreographic talents to other notable films, including Ritwik Ghatak's "Jukti Takka Gappo" and Tarun Majumdar's "Fuleswari". In 1951, he created the solo dance recital "Ranar", based on Sukanta Bhattacharya's poem, set to music by Salil Chowdhury and sung by Hemanta Mukhopadhyay. Bhattacharya was a revered guru who trained numerous students in his dance school, fostering the next generation of dancers. One of his notable disciples is Kabir Sen Barat, who was taught by him from the beginning of his dance journey. He also served as the choreographer for the Calcutta Choir, a renowned institution. His immense contributions to Indian dance were recognized with several prestigious accolades. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2002 for Creative Dance/Choreography, the highest Indian recognition in performing arts. Other honors include the West Bengal State Akademi Award in 1988, the Uday Shankar Award, the Academy Award, the Alauddin Award, and the Asian Paint Siromoni Award. He was also conferred with a D. Lit from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. A three-day dance festival was organized in Kolkata in March 2020 to commemorate his birth centenary, in association with the West Bengal State Academy of Dance Drama Music and Visual Arts and Rabindra Bharati University. Shambhu Bhattacharya passed away on January 26, 2018. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2002), West Bengal State Akademi Award (1988), Uday Shankar Award, Academy Award, Alauddin Award, Asian Paint Siromoni Award, D. Lit.