About Padmashri Shovana Narayan

Shovana Narayan

(Padmashri, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Bihar Govt’s Rashtriya Samman,

Delhi Govt’s Parishad awardee)

Shovana Narayan, a name synonymous with Kathak, is the celebrated outstanding doyen of this art form. She breathes the spirit and ethos of Indian spirituality, classicism and artistic excellence. For her outstanding, consistent and trend-setting pioneering works in Kathak, she has been awarded the prestigious national awards of Padmashri Award by the President of India in 1992, the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for 1999-2000 in 2001, and state awards of Delhi Govt’s Parishad Samman 1993 and the Bihar Govt’s Rashtriya Samman Award for 2018-19 in 2001. Recipient of over 40 national and international awards, they also include Japan’s OISCA Award, Bihar Gaurav Award etc. She has been conferred the Doctor of Literature degree (HC) besides holding 2 (two) MPhil degrees (Defence & Strategic Studies and in Social Sciences), and a Master’s degree in Physics. She was also shortlisted for the Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Delhi, 1997.

Shovana is multi-faceted and a pioneer as she leaves her indelible imprint as a performer, choreographer, Guru, researcher, organiser and author. Her pristine and sparkling performances while steeped in classicism and tradition yet breathe the fresh air of artistic innovations and social consciousness. From her first stage appearance in 1954, she, in the last over six and half decades has mesmerized audiences in several countries of the world in several leading national and international Festivals. Her performances before several Heads of States and Governments have been described as captivating.

Deeply entrenched in Hindi and Sanskrit Literature and in Hindu philosophy, Shovana‘s performances have been marked with depth of emotion and with vivaciousness that is enhanced by her rhythmic brilliance. As early as 1970-71, she opened the door to a new path of emotional outpourings that was based on Hindi and Sanskrit literature.

She has exhibited a silent revolution that came from her innate courage and is known for infusing traditional vocabulary with modern sensibilities within the intangible aspects of Kathak that have become pioneering works. She has several ‘firsts’ to her credit. She is widely recognized by connoisseurs as a trendsetter in several fields such as:

(i) Being the first to simultaneously pursue two full time careers namely that of a professional dancer and a career bureaucrat, IAAS (1976 batch) with ease, grace and perfection and achieving great heights and distinction in both the fields;

(ii) Becoming a trendsetter since 1971-72 in drawing awareness to issues of social concern such as environment (1982-83), issues relating to women and the girl child (1990), human rights (1989), incest (1996), transgender (1995), acid attack victims (2022), women saint poets, 1995 etc;

(iii) Re-interpreting classical literature and mythology in contemporary terms (first in 1984);

(iv) Having inter-faith dialogues since early seventies with Sufism (1973), Buddhist themes (1979), and intercultural dialogues with other western classical music (Otto Faeber, 1981, Mozart and Vivaldi, 1986, Ravel and Debussy, 1993, Schubert 1987); with Buddhist Monks (2001);

Pioneering the genre of dance enactments to philosophical themes with eminent philosopher, late Prof Ramchandra Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) that were based on the lives of

(i) contemporary thinkers and sages (Mahatma Gandhi, 1994, Swami Vivekanand, 1995, Ramana Maharshi, 1995, Ramkrishna Paramhansa,1993, Francis of Assisi, 1993);  

(ii) Rejuvenating the narrative tradition of soliloquy (“Shakuntala” by Maithili Sharan Gupt (1996) & Ýashoda’s Soliloquy’ by Sitakant Mohapatra, 2001) etc

(iii) Presenting philosophical themes such as transiency of life (Mera Safar, 1994) and such others.

(iv) Performing Duets with Western Classical Ballet (1987), Spanish Flamenco (1989), Tap dancer (1994), Triad featuring Kathak, Spanish Flamenco & Western Classical Ballet (1994)

(v) Performing to poems of international poets (Kazi Nazrul Islam, 1973, Omar Khayyam, 1973, Rumi, 1980, Khalil Gibran, 2002, Mirdad and Shams-i Tabrizi, 2003 etc)

Shovana has spearheaded and produced international collaborative works with nationally and internationally known Indian and western dancers and musicians.

Belonging to a family history steeped in the independence and social movement in the country, her personal sensitivities find her working quietly and closely with “special children” such as spastic, mentally and physically handicapped children. She has also conducted workshops for children and people from less fortunate backgrounds.

As an actress, her portrayal of Alia in the telefilms, Akbar’s Bridge, and as the leading lady in a much acclaimed Hindi feature film “Aavartan” won her accolades as an extremely sensitive actress in all newspapers and in International Film Festivals.

She has been Conceptualizer, Creative Director and Choreographer of several international events such as (i) the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of 6th International Abilympics 2003, (ii) classical dance segment of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Indian Independence at National Stadium 1997, (iii) the Ter-Centenary of Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa panth in 1999, (iv) on the occasion of the 60th Independence of Bharat (India), a production on the freedom fighter, Begum Hazrat Mahal, the Warrior Queen of Avadh in 2006 at the Talkatora Stadium and (v) in delivering the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of Commonwealth Games 2010 as Special DG that won universal accolades.

Shovana has authored 17 books and numerous articles including for INTACH, UNESCO and such other prestigious organisations, these well researched publications based on study of epigraphical research are valuable sources of information that have demolished several pre-conceived notions. Her deep research has led to the discovery of 19 Kathak villages including resettled villages by Kathak Lok situated in eastern UP and Bihar.

She has also made a film on the philosophical aspect of Khajuraho titled “Dance of the Temples”. She was also the winner of the Miss UN title in 1974. She was the prime mover and organiser of homage to Kargil Martyrs 2001, Tsunami Relief prog, 2005, Bihar Flood Relief Prog, 2008, Homage to the Martyrs of Pulwana, 2019.

Shovana is a visiting lecturer to several Universities in India and abroad and has given several hundreds of lecture demonstrations and motivational workshops all over India and across the globe. She is a central figure in ongoing discussions in the cultural field as a participant in countless symposia and seminaries. She has guided research students for award of PhD degree in the field of dance.

As an eminent recognized dancer, she has served and is serving as member of various Governing Bodies of schools and colleges, as Trustee of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Foundation and several more. She has also served as member on various Committees of Govt of India including the ICCR, Ministry of Culture, SNA (Sangeet Natak Akademi), Ministry of Defence Republic Day Tableau and School Children’s items Selection Committees, etc.

Shovana is a guru of standing whose disciples are adorning the world of classical dance and who themselves are big names today. As a dedicated guru, she lays stress on not only imparting correct techniques with keen in-depth knowledge of the shastras but also on the intangible spirit and ethos of Kathak in the true Guru-Shishya parampara.

Her social sensitivity has seen her imparting free training to over 50 students of the underprivileged class every year for the last several decades and her choreography with 600 “specially abled“ students in the 6th Abilympics held in 2003 won her international accolades. An organizer too, she also holds 3 well known annual Festivals (LalitArpan Festival, Vividh Mat Festival and the Rhythm & Joy Festival) for the past several years.

Shovana’s Asavari society and her Asavari Repertory is credited with many path-breaking works, whether they were sensitive portrayals of social issues or whether they were explorations of rhythmic dimensions in terms of sound-scapes and emotional-scapes! In a way, Shovana’s group choreographies and the banner of Asavari are synonymous and it is therefore no wonder that the Asavari group is often known as Shovana’s troupe!

Shovana Narayan is a classic example of a true Kathak, multi-faceted, successful and dynamic, and presents a challenge to today’s spectator. No wonder, she is taken by both, the young and the old, as a unique role model of 20th and 21st century India whose eclectic taste, traditional yet bold views, deep philosophical approach, brilliant articulation and a luminous personality have metamorphosed into an exquisite personal expression!