Ratikant Mohapatra

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.