Kumudini Lakhia

Born on 17 May 1930 in Bombay, Shrimati Kumudini Lakhia is one of the foremost dancers of Kathak today. She is the distinguished disciple of renowned traditional Kathak gurus like Shambhu Maharaj, Birju Maharaj (both of Lucknow gharana), Sunder Prasad, Radha Lal Mishra (of Jaipur gharana) and Ashiq Hussain (of Banaras gharana).
In her capacity as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer she has held many prestigious positions. She was Vice President of the International Dance Council (UNESCO). Her choreographic works, such as Dwidha and Atah-kim, tried to achieve a synthesis of traditional techniques and modern themes. These choreographies are now considered classic, and many of the innovations she premiered in them have become ingrained in Kathak performance.
She has received many awards and honours such as the Padma Shri, Kalidas Samman, Nagar Bhushan, Omkarnath Thakore Award, Ahmedabad City Award, the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for dance in 1978, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award of 1982, and the Padma Bhushan in 2010.
Shrimati Kumudini Lakhia is elected Tagore Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi for her contribution to Indian dance.