Anita Babu

 AWARDS

1. REX Karamveer Global Fellow (RKGF) - Bronze 2015,

2. REX Karamveer Global Fellow (RKGF) - Silver Chakra 2016

3. Women Leadership Achievement Award - 2016

4. FEMINA Women Super Achievers Award - 2017

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING/EXPERIENCE

1. Disciple of Padmashree Late Guru Gangadhar Pradhan since 1980;

2. Alumni of Orissa Dance Academy, Bhubaneswar (founded by Guru Gangadhar Pradhan);

3. Also guided regularly by senior disciples of Guruji like Nandita Patnaik, Aruna Mohanty and Bichitrananda Swain;

4. Attended various workshops of Odissi doyens like Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Smt. Kumkum Mohanty;

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1. Founded Odissi Natya Sala in New Delhi and 1999 (registered in 2004 under the societies regn Act; Regn No. S/51235/2004 dated 30th December 2004)

2. Odissi Natya Sala has over 60 students;

3. Conducted summer workshops in various schools from time to time and also twice for Sahitya Kala Academy for contemporary dance;

4. Assisted my Guru Gangadhar Pradhan at various lec-dems for SPIC-MACAY;

5. Conducted lec-dems and workshops for IRCEN;

6. Conducted workshop/classes in Bali, Indonesia for 6 weeks in 2011;

7. Choreographed a dance drama for Vivekananda College in 2001; 

Festivals organized by Anita Babu (in reverse order)

1. Nritya Milan (the 3rd edition) – a 2 day festival of group choreographies.

2. Nritya Milan (the 2nd edition) – “continuing the Guru-shishya parampara”. A 2 day Indian classical dance festival of duets and group performances by the new generation

Guru-shishya combines on 29th & 30th May 2014, at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

3. Nritiya Milan – November 2012. This was a 2 day classical dance festival of young dancers in which all Indian classical dance forms (except Kathakali) was showcased.

4. Purusha Suktam – May 2010. A 2 day festival of Odissi dance with emphasis on the male dancers.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

• Doordarshan artiste since 1991.

• Empanelled in ICCR’s Reference Panel of Artistes since 1994

• Empanelled by Ministry of Culture, Government of India for Festivals of India abroad

• ODISSI NATYA SALA is empanelled in ICCR as an institute for learning Odissi for foreign students

• Empanelled as a consultant for ODISSI dance in Times of India (under the program Newspaper in Education) for conducting workshops in various schools.

• Conducted various workshops for a workshop on Odissi dance along with Gurushree Gangadhar Pradhan for SPIC-MACAY.

• Established an Odissi dance school in New Delhi in 1997 by the name ‘ODISSI NATYA SALA’ with over 50 students.

• Organised a Festival of Orissa at NOIDA in September 2000 showcasing Oriya music, dance and cuisine.

• Empanelled with "India International Rural Cultural Centre (IRCEN)" for lecture/demonstrations at various schools, colleges, etc. for increasing awareness for Indian culture.

• Anita Babu has also been a judge at numerous dance and cultural festivals and has also been one of the judges at Junior Scholarship selection by Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), an autonomous body under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India

• Odissi Natya Sala currently receives salary grant and cultural function grants from Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India