UDAY SHANKAR CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS UNDER THE AEGIS OF IGNCA
EXHIBITION – BY DR. SUNIL KOTHARI
It was nearly 70 years ago that Uday Shankar opened his season in the prestigious Champ elyeeses Theatre in Paris. It was a watershed in the life of the maestro who wove magic on stage/ Uday Shankar would have been 100 now if he was alive. As if to bring alive that moment, his wife and dance partner Mrs. Amala Shankar gave a demonstration of Uday Shankar’s technique and also reminisced about her first trip to Paris that year (1931) in March. She was then 11 and now 82.
UNESCO hosted the programme on the occasion of Uday Shankar’s centenary, coinciding with the International Dance Day. The Permanent Delegation of India (PDI) to UNESCO, Indian Embassy in Paris, Department of Culture, Government of India and IGNCA supported the programme on April 26.
Dr. Sonal Mansingh gave a scintillating performance with her exquisite exposition of Odissi and Bhratanatyam numbers, paying homage to Uday Shankar. Excerpts from ‘Kalpana’ the only film made by Uday Shankar was screened along with a slides presentation by Dr. Sunil Kothari. Dr. Sunil Kothari is a former Uday Shankar professor at Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkatta and is curating an exhibition on Uday Shankar for IGNCA.
The programme was followed by a reception hosted by the Ambassador PDI to UNESCO Mrs. Neelam Sabharwal. it was attended, among others by Shri. Kanwal Sibal, Ambassador, Indian Embassy, Mr. Milorad Miskovitch, Former President of International Dance Council, and Mr. jean Robin, Director of the Champs Elysees Theatre.
The Nehru Centre and London, a division of the High Commission, Government of India celebrated Uday Shankar Centenary by mounting few photographas from the collection of Smt. Amala Shankar, her daughter Mamata Shankar and her own colour drawing in the foyer of the Nehru Centre.
Shri Nareshwar Dayal, the High Commissioner, Indian High Commission, UK, lit the lamp and offered his homage to Uday Shankar recallinghow he had spent his childhood witnessing the dance performances of Uday Shankar. He said Uday Shankar had put Indian dance on the world map with his performance of Krishna, with the legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlov playing the role of Radha. Uday Shankar was merely 23 then.
Smt. Amala Shankar presented the video message of Pnadit Ravi Shankar, specially recorded for this occasion by IGNCA. She demonstrated some of Uday Shankar’s technique, receiving thunderous applause from the audience. Several people in the audience came up to meet her. Some even had 50-year-old programme books autographed by her and Uday Shankar.
[Padma Shri Dr. Suil Kothari, the former first Uday Shankar Professor, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkatta, is a renowned dance historian, scholar and critic. Currently he is curating a photo exhibition of Uday Shankar for IGNCA on the occasion of Uday Shankar Centenary Celebrations.]
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