Born on 24 December 1965 at Cuttak in Odisha, Shri Ratikant Mohapatra has received
his training in Odissi dance under his father, Shri Kelucharan Mohapatra, legendary Guru.
He is also a proficient Mardala player.
An outstanding exponent of Odissi dance, Shri Ratikant Mohapatra has won renown
both as a choreographer and teacher. He has trained several young dancers of promise at
the Odissi dance school, Srjan, Bhubaneswar. He has travelled extensively to present his
dance productions at prestigious dance festivals within the country and abroad, including
Canada, U.K., France, Malaysia, Singapore, U.S.A. and Japan. He has also composed
dance choreography of 555 Odissi dancers and thus entered the Guinness Book of World
Records.
Shri Mohapatra has received several honours and awards such as Sanjukta Panigrahi
Samman by Sanjukta Panigrahi Trust; the Nrutya Choodamani by Krishna Gana Sabha;
the Nrutya Bharati Samman by Sangeet Sudhakar Smruti Sansad; and the Bhumiputra
Samman by Bharat Sevashram Sangha.
Shri Ratikant Mohapatra receives the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution
to Odissi dance.