Natyasutra honours Odissi guru Madhavi Mudgal on Guru Purnima

Trivandrum / July 10, 2025

Thiruvananthapuram, July 10: Online dance-learning platform Natyasutra honoured Odissi exponent Madhavi Mudgal on Guru Purnima today, initiating an annual feature of saluting top personalities for their contributions to culture.

At a ‘Guru Pranam’ ceremony organised by the digital platform (natyasutraonline.com), renowned Mohiniyattam danseuse Neena Prasad lauded Padma Shri Mudgal as a “doyenne” whose graceful movements etched classic postures. “All through her life, her mission has been to enhance and expand the dance,” she noted at the event, felicitating Mudgal.

Delhi-based Mudgal, in her response, said the honour will add to her mission of “reaching out to more people with Odissi”.

Anitha Jayakumar, CEO of the Thiruvananthapuram-based Natyasutra, noted that Mugdal has also been one of the foremost teachers of her generation of performers. “Apart from establishing a niche in the international dance scene, she has been initiating beginners into Odissi while also grooming senior students on the nuances of the form,” she added.

Mudgal, a foremost disciple of iconic Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, is acclaimed worldwide for her lyrical command of Odissi, deep aesthetic sensibility and efforts to bring the tradition to the global arena. Having also learned Bharatanatyam and Kathak, the septuagenarian has won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, besides international honours such as the Grande Médaille de la Ville by the Government of France.

Natyasutra, handled by Invis Pvt Ltd (formerly Invis Multimedia, founded in 1995), has been documenting the country’s classical performing arts through high-quality digital productions. With a mission to preserve, archive and share Indian heritage, the platform brings together technology and tradition to reach audiences across the world.

The Guru Pranam ceremony has been conceived as a symbolic gesture that reflects Natyasutra’s continued commitment to honouring the lineage of classical dance and the gurus who sustain its vitality. Natyasutra continues to celebrate the timeless values of Indian classical arts, while preserving their essence for the digital age.

ENDS