Smt. Khumanthem Narmada Devi

🪔 About

Smt. Khumanthem Narmada Devi is a distinguished Indian classical dancer specializing in Manipuri dance. Born in 1967 or 1968 to (L) Ibotombi Singh, an engineer, and (L) Bidhumukhi Devi, a Nat Sankirtan artiste, she began her formal training at the age of 11, joining the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, where she earned a Diploma Course. She further enriched her artistic repertoire with five years of theatre training under the guidance of Lokendra Arambam Aryan Theatre and Ratan Thiyam of Chorus Repertory Theatre. Smt. Narmada Devi is also a disciple of Guru Nongthombam Amusana Devi. Her career as a performer began early, with performances at temples and Mandaps across Manipur. Her first international performance was in 1979, as a member of a ballet group that staged 'Kong Hangoi' in Calcutta (now Kolkata) for Children's Day celebrations, under the leadership of MK Binodini Devi. A widely traveled artist, she was a choreographer for the play 'Billy Bhagat' at a National School of Drama workshop in Bhopal and was part of the cultural troupe that performed at the New Delhi Asian Games in 1982. Smt. Narmada Devi is celebrated for her performances of various traditional and contemporary forms, including Maibi Jagoi, Kabui dance, Lai Haraoba, Bamboo Dance, Basanta Raas, and fusion dances. She is also credited with creating "Pancha Tal," a composition of five talas: Menkup, Ektaal, Daskush, Lapat, and Taanchap. Smt. Khumanthem Narmada Devi is the founder secretary of the Narmada Cultural Organisation, established in 2004 in Khoyathong Polem Leikai, Imphal. The organization, which also has a presence in Delhi, aims to promote Indian folk and classical dance. Under her leadership, the Narmada Cultural Organisation and its team have performed internationally, including an Indian Manipuri classical dance performance and master class in Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). In June 2026, she performed "Nilakamal," choreographed by Padmashree Guru Maisnam Amubi Singh, at Moscow State University as part of the International Day of Yoga celebrations.