CFC

Sharmila Biswas is a leading dancer and choreographer in the field of Odissi classical dance form. She is a senior disciple of the legendary Guru, Kelucharan Mohapatra, Interested to find the origins of this style of Temple Dance; she began to study the many vocabularies of the Oriya creative arts. She has studied the life and works of the ancient Mahari dancers (temple dancers of Orissa). She has been trained in the variety of folk and tribal dance and music traditions of Orissa. Sharmila has learnt the art of Abhinaya (expressional dance) from Guru Kalanidhi Narayan. In 1990, she attended the Young Choreographers' workshop organized by the American Dance Festival where she interacted with eminent choreographers of world repute. Noted for her originality in composition, technique and stage design, her versatility ranges from Classical Odissi Dance to experimental choreographic work. Her choreography involves the expertise of a thoroughly researched knowledge of the traditional movement skills of India. This gives her the strength to reach out for new forms and create new mediums to express unique contemporary statements through her work. She has been awarded the Uday Shankar Award, for the best choreography in 1998, by the Dept. Of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of West Bengal. She has also received the Junior and subsequently the Senior Fellowship Award from the Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India and the Central Sangeet Natak Academi.

Sharmila is graded as an 'Outstanding' artist by Doordarshan (Indian National Television) and 'Indian Council of Cultural Relations', Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. Of India. Sharmila is the Founder Chairperson of the Odissi Vision & Movement Centre - an institution created for the promotion of Indian Dance & Music through research, training and performances.

Hindustani classical violin workshop " SPANDAN: Creating vibrations of raga through violin" was conducted by the Centre for Creativity IITG with an eminent violinist Shri Biswajit Roy Chowdhary (Ex Lecturer of Rabindra Bharti University,Kolkata) from 3rd Oct. to 7th Oct.2016. This workshop has exposed students to the richness of Indian music, its intricacies and amazing variety, and unexplored ranges of creativity. The workshop was focused to achieve the following major objectives:

To familiarise students with Indian classical and semi-classical music, particularly as played on the violin.
To make students sensitive to the modes of creative and artistic expression through instrumental music, enabling them to appreciate the world of notes and beats even without lyrics .
To inculcate perception and understanding of free, creative expression within rule- bound ,systematically laid out (classical) music : students will be exposed to a way of thinking that is different from thinking styles in science/ engineering fields and HSS disciplines.
To make students appreciate the history of Indian classical music, and how this system judiciously adapted an instrument like the violin (mainly a Western instrument) into indigenous string instruments.
To provide opportunities for students to perform before an audience and to appreciate performances by others : such experiences will help in confidence-building, bring out hidden talents, and promote participation in groups.

The workshop was inaugurated by Head of the centre Prof. Utpal Barua and guest of honour Mrs. Amrabati Biswas.

In total 33 students have participated in the five day long workshop held in the Music Room of New SAC building from 5:30pm to 8:30pm and gave a group performance in the valedictory session on 17th of Oct.2017 in the Bhupen Hazarika auditorium. The eminent artist Prof. Roychoudhury has also given his performance on the day.

The workshop was coordinated by the Artist in Residence Dr. Devanand Pathak.

Dr.Ranjani Ramachandran faculty of Visva-Bharati university came to IITG as a resource person to conduct a vocal workshop “Introduction to Ragas and Talas of Hindustani Classical Music” from 6th to 10th March 2017 under Centre For Creativity IITG.

Dr. Ramachandran is a versatile and talented Hindustani classical vocalist of the younger generation. Dr. Ramachandran has earned wide acclaim for her performances which are known for powerful exposition and highly melodic appeal. Trained in Gwalior and Jaipur gharana gayaki-s, Ramachandran is also known for her soulful renditions of devotional bhajans. Her formal training began under the tutelage of Pt. Kashinath Shankar Bodas, Smt. Veena Sahasrabudhhe and Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar. Dr.Ramachandran was a resident scholar of SRA ( Sangeet Research Academy). While at SRA Dr.Ramachandran also received guidance from Bidushi Girija Devi.

Dr.Ramachandran is a receipent of several awards like Ramkrishnabua Vaze Yuva Gayak Purashkar (2013), Charles Wallace Grant (UK) 2015. Dr. Ramachandran is an empanelled artist of ICCR ( Indian Council for cultural Relations) and is a graded artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan.Many of her Audio CDs have been published and critically acclaimed.