Urmila Nagar

🪔 About

Urmila Nagar is a highly renowned figure in Indian classical dance, celebrated as one of the foremost artists of India in the field of Kathak. Born in Jodhpur in 1945, she has earned wide fame as a Kathak dancer since the 1960s. Nagar is recognized for her unique and distinct style, which masterfully combines rhythmic precision, expressive facial movements, and melodic elements. She is one of the rare artists in India who excels as both an outstanding dancer and a reputed vocalist. Her command over music has enabled her to develop a unique presentation style, performing abhinaya while singing Thumri and Bhajans herself on stage. Urmila Nagar is also credited with pioneering Kathak performances without tabla accompaniment, preserving the dance form's inherent charm. Her extensive training in Kathak includes tutelage under masters of the Jaipur style: Shri Gopal Dangi, Shri Kundan Lal Gangani, and Shri Sunder Prasad. She also received vocal music training from Shri Dilip Chandra Vedi and the late thumri legend, Shrimati Siddheshwari Devi. Throughout her illustrious career, Nagar has held significant positions, including Senior Professor of Jaipur Kathak at the prestigious Kathak Kendra in New Delhi and Director and senior-most Guru at the National Institute of Kathak, a premier institution established by the Government of India. She has been imparting training at Kathak Kendra, Delhi, since 1991. A regular artist for All India Radio, she has participated in numerous music concerts organized by AIR and Sahitya Kala Parishad, Delhi, and has performed in national dance programs and festivals across Europe and India. Since 1996, Urmila Nagar has conducted annual summer residencies in Seattle, USA, under the auspices of the Prabha Rustagi Memorial Trust, where her students perform as the Leela Kathak Dancers. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2003), Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1988), Maharana Mewar Foundation Award, Jainarayan Vyas Award, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award, Nrityacharya, Sangeet Varidhi, Bhav-Shringar.