Dedicated Guru

The Ustad Bismillah Khan National Young Talent Award for Odissi comes to Yudhisthir Nayak after decades dedicated to propagating the art form.

October 09, 2014 05:35 pm | Updated May 23, 2016 05:31 pm IST

Yudhisthir Nayak.

Yudhisthir Nayak.

Justice was delayed but not denied to fabulous male Odissi dancer and trainer Yudhisthir Nayak of Odisha who was conferred the coveted Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Prativa Puraskar – the national award for young artistes instituted by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi – recently. He is the third male dancer to receive the honour since its inception in 2006.

Most of the awardees in Odissi dance category have been younger than Yudhisthir who is nearing his 40 th birthday. Indeed, one of his students has already been the winner. Did he feel disappointed that the award came to him so late? “No. I was less visible in India as I spent many years in America when this award was instituted. Hence my talent could not be noticed here at home,” humbly admitted the brilliant dancer known for his power-packed presentations who had the privilege of working with renowned American pop singer Ricky Martin and of working as a choreographer for a Hollywood movie depicting the life of an Asian dancer apart from performing across America, Canada, Germany, Italy, UK, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia and Singapore.

Yudhisthir’s journey of 33 years from a seven-year-old Gotipua dancer from the non-descript Baharana village near the world famous Konark temple to a globally recognized dancer and trainer appears predestined. His grandfather owned a Gotipua dance troupe while his father Jayakrushna Nayak has been a famous singer and music composer for Gotipua dance. “Like many poor boys in our area, I had no compulsion to be into Gotipua. It was rather a family tradition to get initiated into performing arts. My parents tell me that I was naturally drawn towards singing and dancing,” he reveals.

It was well known Odissi Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, the founder of the famed Odisha Dance Academy and the Konark Natya Mandap, who spotted the inherent talent in 15-year-old Yudhisthir whose father was a musician with the Konark Natya Mandap. “He brought me to Bhubaneswar and left me under the tutelage of Guru Bichitrananda Swain who was the principal at the Odisha Dance Academy then. And that was the turning point in my life and career as a dancer,” he acknowledges with gratitude. Known for sculpting out a number of gifted male Odissi dancers, Guru Bichitrananda fine-tuned the amazing body kinetic inherent in Yudhisthir whose masculinity is cut out for power-packed performances.

Young Yudhisthir soon became quite fond of teaching; noticing this Guru Gangadhar assigned him to train the beginners at his Academy. The discipline and penchant for perfection that Guru Gangadhar had instilled in his institution brought out the best teacher in the young dancer-trainer. “Guruji sent me to teach Odissi at the Centre for World Music in San Diego in the USA in 2005 and in just three years we had about 40 students, many of whom have been beautiful solo performers today. When I shifted to America, I was regularly performing across India as a leading male dancer in Odisha Dance Academy’s productions and as a soloist as well. I was even into choreography then and Ahalya, the dance drama that I had choreographed was staged at the prestigious Konark Dance and Music Festival. Thus, I lost the opportunity to be visible in India as a performer, choreographer and teacher for many years. But, as a teacher, I take pride that I was able to promote Odissi tradition abroad,” he confides.

How has been his experience as a male dancer? “Apart from legends like late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Birju Maharaj, Indian classical dance has several outstanding male dancers. The award given to me is also in recognition of male dancing in Odissi,” he reacts.

“Yudhisthir has been a great asset to Odisha Dance Academy as a senior faculty member and senior member of our repertoire. Many may not be aware that he is a trained vocalist and percussionist too and also learnt the martial dance of Chhau. So, his knowledge of three dance styles, music and rhythm has made him a complete dancer and teacher,” states Guru Aruna Mohanty, director of the Odisha Dance Academy who has been his mentor for years now.

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