Indian Classical Dance

Arunima Kumar, a UK-based Kuchipudi dancer and BEM awardee, is redefining classical art for the global Indian diaspora. From London studios to Tihar Jail, she uses dance as a tool for identity, healing, and connection. Her work now spans 50 countries, building one of the world’s largest Kuchipudi communities.

What happens when theatre becomes the language of learning? At RASA in Chennai and Bengaluru, Dr Ambika Kameshwar is helping 375 children with disabilities experience joyful, barrier-free education.

On the birth anniversary of Uday Shankar, we remember the Padma Vibhushan and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee, who played a pivotal role in fusing Indian and Western culture with his unique dance style characterised by Indian non-classical dance forms.

While women continue to dominate the scene, a number of male kathak dancers have been blurring gender lines in the art form since its inception. We pay a tribute to some of the most profound and exceptional kathak exponents.