Fellowship Award Recipients | 2018
Christopher Gurusamy
Recipient of Junior Fellowship Award, 2018
Christopher Gurusamy is a full-time professional Bharatanatyam performer based in Chennai, India. He is regarded as one of the front-liners of his generation having performed extensively within India and globally.
Christopher Gurusamy joined Kalakshetra during the tenure of Leela Samson as Director and graduated with a first-class post graduate diploma. He later joined Leela Samson’s Spanda Dance company performing, touring and learning under the renowned dancer.
He continues his training with Smt Bragha Bessel, with whom he has studied abhinaya (emotive dance) for over a decade. He passionately strives to seek the truth of the form in an attempt to become more than just a performer.
Awards:
- Best Dance of 2017 (New York Times Alastair Macaulay)
- HCL Best Performer (Madras Music Academy, 2015)
- Periya Sharadha Endowment 2012 (Brahma Gana Sabha)
Shashwati Garai Ghosh
Recipient of Senior Fellowship Award, 2018
Shashwati Garai Ghosh began training in Odissi under noted dancer and choreographer Smt. Sharmila Biswas. She has since groomed herself as a soloist.
She has had the privilege of receiving special training from legends like Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, Smt Kalanidhi Narayanan, Smt Sonal Mansingh, Shri Durgacharan Ranbir.
Shashwati Garai Ghosh has been the Rehearsal Supervisor and Head Instructor for trainee dancers at Smt. Sharmila Biswas’s internationally acclaimed institution Odissi Vision & Movement Centre (OVM) and has travelled extensively in India, and abroad, giving notable performances at prestigious festivals in group and solo work.
Angashuddhi her Odissi dance institute is an initiative to nurture and train the next generation of dancers. Her dance activity includes regular workshops for schools and Institutions around India.
Awards:
- Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar
- Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Pratibha Samman (First Recipient)
- Nalanda Nritya Nipuna Award
- Odissi Jyoti Award
- Shringar Mani Award
- National Scholarship, Ministry of Culture, Government of India
