Tirath Ram Azad

🪔 About

Pandit Tirath Ram Azad (born December 9, 1933, in Lyallpur, Punjab, now in Pakistan; died April 22, 2008) was an eminent Indian Kathak Guru, Hindustani Classical Music Vocalist, Theater Actor, and prolific Writer. His early training in acting, dancing, and singing began in theatre groups run by Master Bundey Khan and D.P. Tarun in Lyallpur. After the Partition, he continued his theatre work in Delhi, training with Girija Shankar and Champak Lal. He was groomed as a Kathak dancer under several esteemed gurus, including Hanuman Prasad, Giriraj Maharaj (of the Jaipur gharana), Narain Prasad, Chiranji Lal, and Krishan Maharaj (of the Banaras gharana). He also received vocal music training in the Talwandi school under Ustad Mehar Ali Khan. Pandit Azad established himself as a performer and teacher of Kathak dance in the 1950s, traveling extensively to perform and conduct workshops and seminars both in India and internationally. From 1958 to 1988, he served as the Head of the Department of Dance at Gandharva Mahavidyalya in New Delhi. He was associated with several of India's prominent dance institutions and contributed significantly to Kathak literature, authoring seminal texts such as 'Kathak Praveshika', 'Kathak Sringar', 'Kathak Darpan', 'Kathak Nritya mein Natyashastriya Tatva', 'Kathak Nritya ke Gharane', and 'Kathak Gyaneshwari'. In the 1960s, he performed in the film “Jamuna Kinare” and created numerous choreographic works based on diverse themes, including Bachchan's “Madhushala,” the story of Valmiki, the Mahabharat, and the Old and New Testament. Later in his career, he was more recognized as a guru than a solo performer. He was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2005 for his contributions to dance. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2005).