Remembering, Mohan Khokar a dance historian

A dance gala with 108 dancers of Delhi participating will come together on Thursday, September 18, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), to celebrate the centenary of “Mr. Dance of India”, Professor Mohan Khokar (1925–2025). The programme has been conceived, curated and conducted by ace dance icon Ashish Khokar.

Remembering the dance documenter Mohan Khokar

The event marks an assembling of India’s dance fraternity in tribute to the scholar with a big presence of the city’s stars and gurus, including Padma Shri awardees Ranjana Gauhar, Shovana Narayan, Vanashree Rao, Madhavi Mudgal, alongwith luminaries such as Sharon Lowen, Rajendra Gangani, Jayaprabha Menon, Malathi Shyam, Papiha Desai, Ambika Panicker, Vidha Lal and younger artistes Meenu Thakur, Arushi Mudgal, Sayani Chakraborty, Kevin Bachan, Sangita Chatterjee, Tanya Saxena, Manpreet, Ravi Yadav and many more.

The 3rd Memorial Talk will be given by Dr Karan Singh (Padma Vibhushan). Trustees Dr Sonal Mansingh, Dr Padma Subrahmanyam and Dr Bharat Gupt will be seen virtually through specially curated film messages, reiterating their long links to the Mohan Khokar Dance Collection at IGNCA.

Prof. Mohan Khokar’s vast legacy includes the Mohan Khokar Dance Collection (MCDC), now housed at IGNCA, preserved under the leadership of Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi with the Conservation and Cultural Archives team led by Achal Pandya.

A ceremonial outdoor opening will be presented by students of leading acharyas across Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kathak, while the indoor performance will feature Young India’s rising talents including Rahul Varshney (Odissi), Paroma Mukherjee (Contemporary), Washim Raja (Kuchipudi), Rashmi Singh Khanna (Bharatanatyam), Kamaljeet (Manipuri), Jayaprabha Menon (Mohiniyattam) and Rohan Bhutaiya (Kathak).

A yearbook, Indian Dance in France will be launched by Trustee, IGNCA, and vice chairperson, NDS, Dr Bharat Gupt with Neemrana chairman Aman Nath receiving the first copy. Another feature of the celebration is a film screening on the late Professor Khokar by Film Karigar and the Jamini Roy family featuring IGNCA Trustees Dr Sonal Mansingh and Dr Padma Subrahmanyam.