The artist
A life chosen
by dance.
From Tagore's Chandalika on a Calcutta stage at sixteen, to the studio of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, to four decades of performing, teaching and choreographing Odissi across India and the world.
Biography
Kolkata, Cuttack, Bengaluru
After her schooling at Loreto House and graduation from Presidency College, Kolkata, Sharmila followed her one and only passion: dance. Initiated into the Uday Shankar style, at sixteen she played the title role in Tagore's dance drama Chandalika for the poet's birth anniversary in Calcutta, and critics wrote of her inborn grace and stage presence.
In 1984 she began learning Odissi under Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in Kolkata, with rigorous, intensive training continuing at her Guru's residence in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Guruji himself accompanied her on the mardala at her Rangapravesh in 1988. She went on to perform as a soloist and in productions directed by him, and also took lessons in abhinaya from Smt. Kalanidhi Narayan and attended workshops by Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi.
Dance as therapy
Sharmila first taught Odissi at the Calcutta School of Music, where she also served for a year as Secretary of the Indian Music Section. She worked closely with hearing-impaired children, teaching dance and movement therapy at The Oral School for Deaf Children, Kolkata, and directing productions with them, most notably a full-length Ramayan with more than fifty children. In Bengaluru she continued this work at the Sheila Kothavala Institute for the Deaf.
In 2000 a scholarship took her to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, for three months of training in dance movement and composition. She also trained at the British Council, Calcutta, with visiting faculty from the Laban Centre, U.K., in movement and in working with hearing-impaired children.
Choreographer and guru
As Artistic Director of the Sanjali Ensemble, Sharmila has created many dance pieces and directed productions in Odissi, from Hansika, an adaptation of Swan Lake, to Sookshma, Kaikeyi and Kalidasa's Ritusamhara. The ensemble is empanelled by the Ministry of Culture in the “Outstanding” category for Festivals of India abroad.
Having made Bengaluru home, she is regarded as one of the pioneers of Odissi in South India. Many of her students have completed their Rangapravesh under her guidance; senior disciples now perform as soloists and teach at Sanjali's branches, and students travel from abroad to train with her.
See her choreographies
Guru–shishya parampara
In the lineage of Kelubabu
Four decades of milestones, from her first lessons with Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra to stages on four continents.
“In Bangalore today, the Kelubabu brand of Odissi is left to one individual: Sharmila Mukerjee.” The Narthaki, 2009
- 1984
Begins Odissi under Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in Kolkata, later training intensively at his home in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
- 1988
Rangapravesh, with Guruji himself on the mardala. Her career as a solo artist begins.
- 1997
First performances abroad, in Italy.
- 2000
Scholarship to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, to study dance movement and composition.
- 2003
ICCR tour of Fiji, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
- 2004
Founds Sanjali Centre for Odissi Dance in Bengaluru, and tours Turkey for the ICCR.
- 2011
Sets Tagore's Chitrangada in Odissi for the Sangeet Natak Akademi's Festival of Dance Dramas.
- 2016
Receives the Mahari Award for her contribution to Odissi.
- 2018
Premieres Hansika, her Odissi Swan Lake, and leads the Sanjali Ensemble to Tunisia for the Festival of India.
- 2023
Performs in Seychelles for the ICCR and the High Commission of India.
On stage
Festivals & stages
A selection of her performances in India since her Rangapravesh, and her tours abroad, most recent first.
In India 40 selected
- 2020Konark FestivalKonark, Odisha
- 2020Dristi FestivalBengaluru
- 201925th anniversary of Pankaj UtsavBhubaneswar
- 2017Mukteshwar FestivalOdisha
- 2016National Festival of Music and DanceChandigarh
- 2016Kinkini FestivalBengaluru
- 2016Thunchan FestivalKerala
- 2015Uttarapoorvi Evam Dakshini Music and Dance FestivalSirsi
- 2015Odissi International FestivalBhubaneswar
- 2014Tharang UtsavBengaluru
- 2014Monsoon FestivalThrissur, Kerala
- 2014Music and Dance FestivalOttapalam, Kerala
- 2014NrityanandotsavBengaluru
- 2013Ananya Nritya NeerajanaBengaluru
- 2013Maha Maya — birth centenary of Prof. U.S. Krishna RaoBengaluru
- 2012Sai Nrityotsav National Dance FestivalBengaluru
Show all 40 performances
- 2012Tagore's ballet Chandalika, choreographed and directed for International Dance AllianceBengaluru
- 2011Tagore's ballet Chitrangada in Odissi, for Sangeet Natak Akademi's Festival of Dance DramasHyderabad
- 2010Natyanjali FestivalKumbakonam & Thanjavur
- 2009India Habitat CentreNew Delhi
- 2007Mysore DasaraMysuru
- 2007Soorya FestivalThiruvananthapuram
- 2007Thalam FestivalThrissur, Kerala
- 2007Uday Shankar Ballet and Dance FestivalJaipur
- 2006Arudhra FestivalBengaluru
- 2006Swaralaya FestivalPalakkad, Kerala
- 2006Brahmotsav, ISKCON TempleBengaluru
- 2006Damaru MahotsavBengaluru
- 2006Kinkini FestivalBengaluru
- 2005PallovutsavMysuru
- 2005IRCENNew Delhi
- 2003India International CentreNew Delhi
- 2002Deccan FestivalHyderabad
- 2002Uday Shankar Dance Festival (also 1999)Kolkata
- 1998Vrindavan FestivalUttar Pradesh
- 1996Salt Lake Music ConferenceKolkata
- 1993Youth Festival, Sangeet Natak AkademiThiruvananthapuram
- 1990Jhankar Music ConferenceKolkata
- 1989Dover Lane Music ConferenceKolkata
- 1988Kal Ke Kalakar Sangeet SammelanMumbai
Abroad 11 countries
- 2023SeychellesICCR and the High Commission of India, Victoria
- 2018TunisiaFestival of India — Ministry of Culture and the Embassy of India, Tunis
- 2016Melbourne, AustraliaBengali Association of Victoria
- 2015Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaSutra and the High Commission of India
- 2014Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMalaysian Bengali Association
- 2014Petaling Jaya, MalaysiaRotary Club of Petaling Jaya
- 2013Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaIndian Cultural Centre, High Commission of India
- 2011Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaAsia Pacific International Dance Conference
- 2008IndonesiaSixth Riau Contemporary Dance Mart
- 2006Dubai, U.A.E.Sponsored by the Consulate General of India
- 2004TurkeyICCR tour — a trio of Odissi, Bharatanatyam and Kathak
- 2003Fiji, Malaysia, Australia & New ZealandICCR tour
- 2000U.S.A.Scholarship, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- 1997ItalyFirst performances abroad
Recognition
Honours & awards
- 01
Karnataka Kalashree
Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy, Government of Karnataka — the first Odissi dancer to receive it.
- 02
Mahari Award 2016
Guru Pankaj Charan Das Foundation, Odisha, for her contribution to Odissi dance.
- 03
Top Grade Artist
Doordarshan, India's national broadcaster.
- 04
Established Artist
Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
- 05
Kala Gaurav
Karnataka.
- 06
Singar Mani
Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai.
- 07
Sironama
Kolkata.
- 08
“Outstanding” empanelment
The Sanjali Ensemble, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, for Festivals of India abroad.
Philosophy
“Dance is indeed the art of living.”
Dance is infusing equanimity and poetry in motion. Dance to me is aesthetics; it is a way of life. Dance is therapeutic, a holistic learning by itself. The joy of learning, teaching, creating, performing and choreographing knows no bounds. Life to me would have been meaningless without dance.
“I did not choose. I was chosen to be a dancer, and with that, you live all your life.” Martha Graham, as Sharmila often quotes
Sharmila Mukerjee
Learn with Sharmila
Train in the Kelucharan Mohapatra style
Classes for beginners to advanced students at Sanjali's studios in Bengaluru and Trivandrum.