Learning from late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra had been a life changing experience for me. I am not sure that I would have continued this far in Odissi Dance had it not been for his influence and inspiration. He was a true "Guru" in a very traditional sense. In "guru", "gu" means darkness, "ru" means light, or in other words, leading from darkness to light. The "guru" accepts the student, called the "shishya" and teaches the student about life, understanding the student's strengths and weaknesses and testing the student directly and indirectly. He/she is a mentor, perhaps akin to a father or mother, though not completely. Guruji had taught me about life through the medium of dance. I still feel his inspiration and guidance today even though he is not physically with us anymore, sometimes through his talented daughter-in-law, Sujata Mohapatra, whom I now train under.
Niharika

Niharika Mohanty has spent years dedicated to ongoing training to achieve excellency. Initiated by her parents, Niharika began her extensive training in Odissi at the tender age of five. Her initial training was received under Guru Murali Dhar Majii, Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Ananda Radha, and Dr. Menaka Thakkar. Her growing desire to train further in Odissi resulted in the realization of a dream of becoming the disciple of the internationally renowned reviver of Odissi dance, Padma Vibhushan late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in 1989.

Niharika trained regularly from Guru Mohapatra for months at a stretch. His love, guidance, and faith made her realize her passion for Odissi dance and to live out that passion. Today, she is a prominent disciple of his. Niharika continues her training under Sujata Mohapatra, Guru Mohapatra’s gifted daughter-in-law molded to perfection by him and who is one of the leading Odissi dancers.

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