Vibha Dadheech is an Indian classical dancer in the
Kathak
Kathak ( hi, कथक; ur, کتھک) is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance. It is the classical dance from of Uttar Pradesh. The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards in ancient northern Ind ...
dance form. She began learning Kathak from Raigarh Court dancer Pt. Firtu Maharaj, and later in Guru Shishya Parampara from Pt.
Shambhu Maharaj
Pandit Shambhu Maharaj (1910 – 4 November 1970) was a Guru of the Lucknow ''Gharana'' (school) of the Indian classical dance form, Kathak.
Early life and training
Shambhu Maharaj was born in Lucknow as Shambhunath Mishra. He was the youngest ...
as a ganda bandh shagird, living and learning at her guru’s home.
She is also the senior-most disciple and wife of
Puru Dadheech
Puru Dadheech (Purushottam Dadheech, 17 July 1939) is a Kathak dancer. He is a choreographer and educator of Indian classical dance, and is known for his pioneering work in the field of Kathak. At the oldest Kathak department which was formed i ...
. Together they founded the
Natavari Kathak Nritya Academy, Indore. Currently, Vibha Dadheech is serving as Professor Emeritus at world’s first dedicated Kathak Research centre at the
Sri Sri University
Sri Sri University is an Indian university established on 26 December 2009. The university came into operation in the year 2012. At present, the university is offering different courses in areas of management, architecture, humanities, agricul ...
, The Sri Sri Centre for Advanced Research in
Kathak
Kathak ( hi, कथक; ur, کتھک) is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance. It is the classical dance from of Uttar Pradesh. The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards in ancient northern Ind ...
.
Vibha graduated in 1988 with a doctorate PhD in Kathak from
Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya
Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya (IKSV), also Indira Kala Sangeet University, is a public university located in Khairagarh, Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh, India.
History
In 1956, Maharaja Birendra Bahadur Singh and maharani Padmavati Dev ...
Khairagarh. Her topic for research was Dance Hand Gestures - Bharatiya Nritya ki Varnamala: Hast Mudrayen. Which include more than 1100 hand gestures with their definitions from approximately 23 shastra granthas. It also happens to be one of the most awarded research and is also a published book by the same name.
Dadheech has been felicitated with India’s highest award to a performing artist, the
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Englis ...
and Madhya Pradesh's highest Civilian Award The Shikhar Samman.
She was awarded the Senior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Govt. Of India in Kathak for years 2011–12.
[http://www.indiaculture.nic.in/sites/default/files/Schemes/fellowship%202011-12.pdf ]
She is an author and published her research book Bharatiya Nritya ki Varnamala: Hast Mudrayen (ABC of Indian Dance Gestures) in Hindi language. Hardcover - 2003 Her book has also been prescribed for the Bachelor level of Dance syllabus at University of Indore, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh.
Vibha has received the Life-time Achievement Award 2015 at the 25th Gopi Krishna Mahotsav, Mumbai for serving Kathak for over 50 years.
[ She collaborated with 40 other artists to create Kala Arpan that was launched by Sri Ravi Shankar.
]
Family
Vibha was born to noted Gandhian freedom fighter Shri Bhramarji Gupta and Purna Gupta at Bilaspur (then Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
). She is the youngest of four siblings and is married to the Kathak dancer and educationist Puru Dadheech
Puru Dadheech (Purushottam Dadheech, 17 July 1939) is a Kathak dancer. He is a choreographer and educator of Indian classical dance, and is known for his pioneering work in the field of Kathak. At the oldest Kathak department which was formed i ...
. She has two sons.
Education
* Doctorate in Kathak 1988 from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya
Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya (IKSV), also Indira Kala Sangeet University, is a public university located in Khairagarh, Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh, India.
History
In 1956, Maharaja Birendra Bahadur Singh and maharani Padmavati Dev ...
Khairagarh Shambhu Maharaj
Pandit Shambhu Maharaj (1910 – 4 November 1970) was a Guru of the Lucknow ''Gharana'' (school) of the Indian classical dance form, Kathak.
Early life and training
Shambhu Maharaj was born in Lucknow as Shambhunath Mishra. He was the youngest ...
Awards
* Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Englis ...
Akademi Puraskar for 2021 (SNA)
* Shikhar Samman 2018 - Madhya Pradesh's highest civilian award (for excellence in Kathak dance)[
* Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 for serving Kathak for over 50 years, at 25th Gopi Krishna Mahotsav][
]
Books
* BHARTIYA NRITYA KI VARNMAALA HAST MUDRAYEN (The ABC of Indian Dance Hand Gestures)
* NRITYA NIBANDH, Bindu Prakashan 2009
* GAT NIKAS - KATHAK NRITYA KA APARIHARYA ANG, Bindu Prakashan. Researched under Senior Fellowship by Ministry of Culture, Government of India, 2019.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dadheech, Vibha
Kathak exponents
Living people
1954 births
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award