NAMRATA RAI - INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCER

Namrta Rai (Hindi: नम्रता राय) (born November 27, 1984) is an Indian classical Kathak dancer and choreographer. She is a disciple of Late Dr. Madhukar Anand and Pt.Udai Mazumdar

Born in Dehradun, Namrta started receiving her training into Kathak at a very tender age under the tutelage of Late Dr. Madhukar Anand, of Lucknow Gharana, in the Vedic system of receiving knowledge called guru-shishya parampara. A science graduate (PCM) from D.A.V(PG) College, Dehradun also owns bachelor’s degree from Bhatkhande Sangit Vidhyapith, Lucknow and Master’s degree from Indira Kala Sangeet University, Khairagarh, Madhya Pradesh in the form of Lucknow Gharana, of which the Doyen is Padma Vibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj.

Namrta has performed in various prestigious festivals around the globe. She has performed for the International dance festival Ascona (Switzerland), The Ravi Shankar Centre (94th Birth Anniversary) New Delhi, Modhera dance festival Gujarat, National Divali Manifestatie South-America, CulturAll Switzerland,Sufiyana Kathak with Ustad Shafquat Ali Khan, 550 years celebration of Basel University Switzerland, Maha Kumbh Haridwar, Uttarayani Mohotsava Bageshwar, a theatrical dance ballet 'Geet-Govind' for Indian National Television, World Dance Day Suriname, Musica Dei Popoli Italy, 13th International Dance festival Ascona Switzerland, Soulful Sufi Rome and many more noteworthy festivals in Austria, The Netherlands, Germany and France. Namrta is an empanelled artist and teacher of Indian council for cultural relations (ICCR), New Delhi. She regularly tours for SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth) all over India. She has also imparted her knowledge at the Welham Girls' School, a traditional boarding school for girls located at the foothills of the Himalayas in Dehradun, India. Namrta was deputed as Kathak dance teacher cum performer by ICCR at Indian Cultural Centre in Suriname, South-America. She has choreographed many dance performances for stage, television, also for the Indian National television Doordarshan & National carnival in St. Lucia.

She is youngest daughter of Shri S. K. Rai, a retired English lecturer at D.A.V College, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. She has an elder brother Sumit Rai, and two elder sisters Nidhi Rai and Neha Rai. Her mother is a homemaker.