EDISON, N.J. — Dr. Aparupa Chatterjee, artistic director of the Odissi Dance Company and a prominent Odissi dancer, choreographer and mentor, will present the 14th Kelucharan Guna Keertanam on May 31 at the ITV Gold Auditorium in Edison, New Jersey.
The annual festival, scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., will commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of legendary Odissi guru Padma Vibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra while also celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Founded in 2011 in Texas, the festival was created as a tribute to Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, widely regarded as the architect of modern Odissi dance from the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Born into poverty and trained through years of dedication, Mohapatra rose to become one of India’s most celebrated classical dancers and choreographers before his death in 2004.
Chatterjee, a former ensemble dancer with “Srjan,” Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra’s institution, said the festival aims to preserve and extend the artistic vision of her guru through choreography, performance, education and cultural outreach in the United States.
Organizers said this year’s program will focus on women’s empowerment through dance education and pedagogy while bringing together artists and patrons dedicated to artistic excellence and authentic classical traditions.
The event will feature a special guest performance by renowned Odissi dancer Smt. Sujata Mohapatra from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Earlier performances from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. will include presentations by artists from the Odissi Dance Company, Kuchipudi performances by disciples of Swathi Atluri, Kathak performances by Archana Joglekar’s troupe and appearances by rising dancers from New Jersey and New York.
Edison Councilman Biral Patel is expected to attend as guest of honor along with several invited delegates and community leaders.
Chatterjee, considered a torchbearer of the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra gharana in the United States, holds a doctorate from Texas A&M University. In addition to performing and choreographing, her work focuses on developing dance pedagogy for modern learners and expanding access to classical arts education for seniors and underserved communities.
She has received recognition from India’s Ministry of Culture, Sur Sansad Mumbai’s Singar Mani honor, the AIARD Fellowship, the Howard Buffett Fellowship for International Development, the North Dakota Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and Indian Raga Senior Fellowships. Her choreography was also presented at Carnegie Hall last year.
Organizers said the festival seeks to provide audiences with an immersive experience celebrating classical Indian dance, heritage and cultural continuity across generations.
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