Vibha Dadheech is an Indian classical dancer in the

Kathak Kathak ( hi, कथक; ur, کتھک) is one of the eight major forms of Classical Indian dance, Indian classical dance. It is the classical dance from of Uttar Pradesh. The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards ...

dance form. She began learning Kathak from Raigarh Court dancer Pt. Firtu Maharaj, and later in Guru Shishya Parampara from Pt. Shambhu Maharaj 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

. 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 ...

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, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognit ...

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 city, capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar, and Rewa, India, Rewa being the othe ...

). She is the youngest of four siblings and is married to the Kathak dancer and educationist

. She has two sons.

Education

* Doctorate in Kathak 1988 from

Khairagarh * Kathak under Guru Shishya Parampara from Pt. Firtu Maharaj and Pt. Shambhu Maharaj

Awards

Akademi Puraskar for 2021 (SNA) * Shikhar Samman 2018 - Madhya Pradesh's highest civilian award (for excellence in Kathak dance) * Senior Fellowship 2011 by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India * 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 Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

, 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dadheech, Vibha Kathak exponents Living people 1954 births Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award