Sucheta Bhide Chapekar

🪔 About

Sucheta Bhide Chapekar, born on December 6, 1948, is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and exponent of Bharatanatyam. She began her dance journey with her arangetram in 1963, receiving initial training from Acharya Parvati Kumar in Mumbai. Later, she honed her skills in the Thanjavur school of Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of K.P. Kittappa Pillai. Chapekar also pursued academic excellence, earning a Master of Fine Arts (Dance) from Bombay University and a doctoral degree from the University of Pune. She further studied Carnatic music under Thailambal Krishna in Chennai and gained proficiency in Hindustani music. Throughout her career, Chapekar has performed extensively across India and internationally, including tours in London, Paris, and Rotterdam in 1982. Recognizing a limited following for Bharatanatyam in Maharashtra during the 1980s, she pioneered "Nritya Ganga," a unique Bharatanatyam concert series featuring compositions based on Hindustani classical music, incorporating Marathi and Hindi songs. This innovative approach has since grown to include over 80 compositions. In 1988, she founded "Kalavardhini," a charitable trust dedicated to the teaching and propagation of classical dance, establishing a structured five-year basic certificate course and an advanced course. She has also served as a visiting lecturer at Pune University and guided numerous scholars in their doctoral research in dance. Her contributions to Bharatanatyam have been documented in the 2008 film 'Vyomagami' and her Marathi book 'Nrityatmika'. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2007), Maharashtra Gaurav, S.L. Gadre Award, Mahila-Jeevan Gourav Award (Life Time Achievement Award), Pune's Pride, Shreshtha Kala Pracharak, Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award for music and art (2019).