Damayanti Joshi

Who was Damayanti Joshi?

Damayanti Joshi was a noted Indian classical dancer in the Kathak dance form. Starting as young dancer in the troupe of Madame Menaka in the 1930s, which travelled to many parts of the world. She learnt Kathak from Sitaram Prasad of Jaipur Gharana and became an adept dancer at a very young age, and later trained under from Acchan Maharaj, Lacchu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj of Lucknow gharana, thus imbibing nuances from both the traditions. She turned solo in the 1950s and achieved prominence in the 1960s, before turning into her guru herself through her dance school in Mumbai.

She received the Padma Shri in 1970, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Dance in 1968, and had remained Director of the U.P. Kathak Kendra in Lucknow.