BHUBANESWAR: A timeless exponent of Odissi dance Guru Deba Prasad Das’s 86th birthday will be will be celebrated here Sunday.
A dance show based on guru’s lifelong work on Odissi dance will be enacted by eminent dancers Harihar Mohanty and Murchana Das. Mohanty said, “Guruji is the unsung global pioneer of Odissi dance. He was a force to be reckoned with. I feel blessed to perform on his life story.”
President, Deba Prasad Foundation Santosh Kumar Pradhan and secretary Bipanchi Das said, “On October 28, 2018, the Deba Prasad award will be conferred upon eminent singer Shyamamani Devi, Nrutya guru Gobinda Chandra Pal and eminent Mardala player guru Dhaneswar Swain. Winners of Guru Deba Prasad youth award are Odissi dancer Debashis Patnaik from Bangalore, Kathak exponent Sipra Joshi from New Delhi. A special duet would be performed by Suraj Kumar Sahoo and Jyotirmayee Das.”
All the awardees will be felicitated with cash prizes, mementos, bouquets, angabastras and certificates of excellence. The second edition of Gabakshya (annual book of Guru Debaprasad Foundation) will also be unveiled by dignitaries.”
To make this event memorable, various dance groups will perform on stage. Shree Dance Academy, Odisha Nrutyamandal, Nrtuya Prativa Dance & Music and Nrutyashri Dance Academy will showcase their acumen in Odissi dance. The show will be curated by Mrtunjay Rath and Ragini Das.
