April 3, 2025: As World Dance Day approaches, Odissi exponent Smt. Ranjana Gauhar presents her young and budding disciples to celebrate the occasion with a performance on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at Triveni Kala Sangam at 6:00 PM. This annual presentation, Su-Tarang, is conceptualized and propelled by Utsav Educational and Cultural Society, an organization founded by her.
Su-Tarang is Ranjana’s initiative to help the younger generation appreciate the beauty of Odissi dance as an art form while instilling discipline for their overall personality development. Through this initiative, she seeks to impart the richness of Indian heritage and culture, enriching young minds with mythological stories that highlight traditional values.
A Padma Shri awardee (2003), Smt. Ranjana Gauhar considers it her prime responsibility to educate, train, and mold young minds in the cultural values of India’s rich traditions through the Guru-Shishya Parampara. When practiced in daily life, these traditions help individuals achieve perfection and develop a sense of responsibility toward themselves, their families, and society at large.
As she continues her mission of promoting Indian dance and culture, Ranjanaji states, “At Utsav, we aim to empower our disciples through dance, fostering harmony and balance in society. The success story of Utsav lies in providing an environment of love and proper guidance, where children blossom. They receive disciplined training and are given opportunities to showcase their talents on stage year after year.”
She has been honored with numerous prestigious accolades, including the National Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2007), a Senior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, for her research on the temple tradition of Odissi dance, the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award, the Mahari Award (2007), and the Delhi Ratna Award, among others. Ranjana ji’s performances bear the hallmark of a distinctive style, shaped by her extensive training in Chhau, Kathak, and Manipuri. Her deep artistic background has led her to explore and contribute to other creative expressions, such as authoring the book “Odissi, The Dance Divine” and scripting and producing several documentary films that promote Odissi and other dance forms.
About Smt. Ranjana Gauhar
Smt. Ranjana Gauhar trained under the legendary Guru Mayadhar Raut. She pursued Philosophy Honours for her undergraduate studies, followed by a master’s degree in English Literature. Her education and creative skills have propelled her to great heights in the world of dance at an extraordinary pace. Her ability to blend the traditional with the contemporary, along with her innovative and individualistic imagery, has made her performances deeply appealing to audiences both in India and abroad.
Gaiety, grace, and strength are the hallmarks of Ranjana’s performances, leaving audiences spellbound and describing her recitals as sublime spiritual odysseys. She has traveled extensively across India and has participated in prestigious dance festivals such as the Khajuraho Festival, Kalidas Festival in Ujjain, and the Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale Centenary Festival at Kalakshetra. As a cultural ambassador of India, she has performed at the Festival of India and at renowned venues such as the Queen Elizabeth Royal Festival Hall, The Royal Hall of Plymouth, the Commonwealth Institute, Oxford University, and the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham. Her international performances have taken her to Germany, Italy, France, Greece, Serbia, Cyprus, Kuwait, Switzerland, Tunisia, Yugoslavia, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Croatia, and Latin American countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Mexico. In Mexico, she represented India at the Cervantino Festival. Additionally, she has introduced Odissi dance to audiences in Cambodia, Bhutan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Africa, Mauritius, and Egypt. More recently, she has performed with her troupe in Spain, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic, delivering both solo and group recitals at various festivals.
She is also actively involved in creating awareness through lecture-demonstrations in rural and semi-rural regions of India. Ranjana ji is the Founder-President and guiding force behind the non-governmental organization ‘Utsav Educational and Cultural Society – Ranjana’s Odissi Dance Academy,’ which she established in 1987. Through this academy, she leverages her experience and dedication to teaching Odissi dance and music in the traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara.