Kumkum Dhar
Kumkum Dhar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 February 1956 Nagpur, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Lucknow University |
| Occupation(s) | Kathak dancer, dance teacher |
| Awards | Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2020) Yash Bharati (2015) Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1994) |
Kumkum Dhar is a Kathak dancer and dance teacher from Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. She received many awards including the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1994), and the Yash Bharati (2015) by the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2020) for Kathak.
Biography
[edit]Kumkum Dhar is on 4 February 1956 at Nagpur, Maharashtra.[1] Later she moved to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and trained in Kathak there under noted Kathak exponent Lachhu Maharaj of the Lucknow gharana.[2][3]
Dhar completed Bachelor of Arts in 1974 and Master of Arts in 1976 from Lucknow University.[4] She also completed sangeet visharad degree in music and also holds a Doctorate in Economics.[5] After completing Masters in Economics, she worked for 25 years as an economist with a consultancy firm.[6]
Career
[edit]Kumkum Dhar started performing Kathak in 1972.[7] Apart from numerous venues and dance festivals in India, Dhar has also performed several solo dance shows in countries like USA, UK, Egypt, Kuwait, Mexico, Guatemala, and Bangladesh.[1] She excels in both 'Tandava' (vigorous/ masculine) and 'Lasya' (soft/ feminine) modes of Kathak.[1]
Dhar who worked as a professor in Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Lucknow, also served as the Dean of Faculty of Dance and later as vice-chancellor of Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya.[8][5]
She has also trained more than 500 disciples under the Guru–shishya tradition.[9] She is a Top-grade artist of Doordarshan, and an 'Outstanding Artist' of Indian Council for Cultural Relations.[1]
Other than career in Kathak dance, Dhar also worked as radio jockey, television artist, actor and singer.[6]
Awards and honors
[edit]Kumkum Dhar received hundreds[4] of awards including the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1994), and the Yash Bharati by the Uttar Pradesh Government (2015) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2020) for Kathak by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government of India.[1] In 2024 she received the Bharat Muni Award.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "KUMKUM DHAR" (PDF). Sangeet Natak Akademi.
- ^ Pioneer, The. "Kumkum Dhar's Kathak dance holds audience in thrall". The Pioneer. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ "PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ a b "Was shy of visiting Lucknow University's canteen, recalls Kathak maestro". The Times of India. 4 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Five from UP win Sangeet Natak Akademi Award". Hindustan Times. 26 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Dancing through life". Hindustan Times. 31 March 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ "Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards: President bestows coveted award on Lucknow's Kumkum Dhar". Archived from the original on 2023-02-28. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "INTACH ARCHIVE : image : Kumkum Dhar performing Kathak [IHL_064]". icharchive.intach.org.
- ^ Bharat, V. S. K. (24 February 2025). "If a nation lacks cultural values, it can never progress - Suresh Soni Ji". VSK Bharat.
- ^ "Bharat Muni Award 2024 Kumkum Dhar and Harekrishna Meher" (in Hindi).