India Dance Festival will present several fine dance performances by some of the leading artists featuring Odissi and Kathak styles. Kathak, the dance style from north India has the charm and subtlety associated with miniature paintings. Nurtured in the holy precincts of the Hindu temples Kathak was further enhanced with Persian influence during the Mogul reign in India. Over the centuries, it has attained refinement and enriched itself by the establishment of distinct styles and gharanas. Odissi, a recognized form of Indian classical dance, is from the eastern state of Orissa. Odissi dates back to 2nd century B.C. and is well known for its grace, fluid movements and strong footwork. Odissi postures can be seen in the sculptures of ancient Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples and caves of Orissa.

Kaustavi Sarkar; winner of prominent awards including Singar-Mani, Nalanda-NrityaNipuna, Odissi-Jyoti and researcher at Ohio State University; is an Indian classical dancer, choreographer, dance-scholar and educator, performing and teaching well over the past decade. Recognized as one of leading Odissi dance exponents, she is nominated as an Indian national fellow working on meaning-making processes in dance studies as pertaining to South Asian dance. She is the Artistic Director of an organization called Multicultural Center for Embodied Aesthetics, International Outreach and Social Activism (MCCA) and founded the initiative called Odissi at Ohio State (O2). Kaustavi regularly presents her scholarly work as well as her creative work in dance conferences, festivals and conducts master-classes/ lecture-demonstrations across universities in Europe and America. Currently, Kaustavi teaches Odissi at the Ohio State University. Actively involved in the diasporic Indian community, Kaustavi is dedicated to a life engaged in scholarship, performance, pedagogy, leadership and activism. She has an Master of Science in Economics with specialization in Finance and has worked in New York, Kolkata and Mumbai as a financial analyst for over eight years.

Sanjukta Sinha; born in Lucknow; had her initial training in Kathak with Pt. Arjun Misra. She received a Govt. of India scholarship award to do future training with Smt. Kumudini Lakhia at Kadamb centre for dance in Ahmedabad, where she trained for 5 years. She has now made Ahmedabad her home and is associated with Kadamb where she is a dancer, teacher choreographer and researcher. Sanjukta has toured extensively in India as a soloist and performed in Mumbai, Taj mahal (Agra), Khajuraho, Ganga Mahotsav (Banaras), Lucknow Mahotsav, Delhi Kathak samaroh, Chennai and Bangalore festival and also as a member of “The Kadamb Ensemble”. She has toured in Europe, Japan, Indonesia, Canada, U.K., Singapore, etc. as a soloist. Sanjukta is a dancer of great beauty & style. She has immense energy which is seen in her “Nritta” and a lyrical charm in her “Abhinaya”. Sanjukta has a love for music because of which she has been able to incorporate forms of music such as Dhrupad, Sufi, Contemporary, besides the traditional Bhajans & Thumries. Sanjukta’s technical capability and personality creates an overall aesthetic effect altering with the use of different physical structures – (Tukras). Kathak Technique is used strictly as a vocabulary to express the abstract and also the literal rather than as an exercise of strength. In addition to being a very versatile, talented and knowledgeable Kathak exponent she has an urge to learn other forms of dance which she is able to do quite efficiently because of a body which is very well trained and flexible.

Guitar maestro Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya evolves into a global inspiration in the arena of contemporary musical uprising. The musical journey is a counterpart to what remains a fond reminiscence of a child's fancy with a Hawaiian lap guitar at the age of four. The multi-dimensional intrigue of invention became a passion with the making and widespread recognition of the patented Chaturangui (a 24-string hollow neck guitar), Gandharvi (a 14-string guitar which holds the longest glissando) and Anandi (a 4-string slide Ukulele ) which not only excels in sound variety and quality but has become the designer’s choice. With the lineage of Gurus like Pandit Brij Bhushan Kabra and Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty the inspiration has gone beyond performance. Born to musician parents Pt Debashish Bhattacharya, a child prodigy, was initiated into Indian classical singing, but was drawn to the guitar because of the ability to emulate the human voice by using the slide. Past performances of Debashish have include John McLaughlin and his latest incarnation of Shakti, Bob Brozman that resulted in the album Mahima. Led Kaapana, Martin Simpson are the others. The uncanny ability of sliding like a voice and mesmerizing tantrakaari ang put Debashish Bhattacharya as a leading slide guitarist of the world. This extremely personable and gifted artiste takes us on a timeless journey through the history of Indian Classical Music, bringing it into the 21st century, with detours into the Blues and Hawaiian music as well. His work has earned him president of India award in 1984, The Asiatic Society Gold Medal in 2005 and BBC Planet Award for World Music in 2007.

Arshad Ali Khan is one of the most promising young vocalists, given his repertoire and competency in all aspects of Khayal gayaki. As a child, he became one of the most celebrated “Little Ustad” of India! In the year 1993, at the age of nine, he was described as “the biggest sensation of Sawai Gandharva Sammelan” following his performance on a special invitation from Bharat-Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi on the occasion of his 75th birthday celebrations. With the judicious usage of the distinctive style of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan, Arshad Ali Khan is emerging as the leading vocalist of Kirana Gharana worldwide. Arshad, the grandson of the legendary sarangi maestro Late Padmashree Ustad Shakoor Khan, was absorbed into the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata, as a scholar at the age of six. Born in the family of the principal Kirana Gharana musicians, he received extensive talim from his maternal uncles, Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan and Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan in the true guru-shishya parampara system of training, steeped with exclusivity of ragas and unheard bandishs. With many awards to his credit, he tours extensively in India performing in many prestigious stages as well as in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Sarwar Hussain is one of the most accomplished and promising musicians of the younger generation of Sarangi exponents in India. His musical heritage comes from a long line of distinguished Sarangi exponents from Gohad. His ancestry can be traced back six generations to Ustad Fazal Khan, father of Ustad Ghansi Khan, famous for his mastery of the intricate Tappa Style. Ustad Ghansi Khan taught his sons who included Ustad Chhuttu Khan, Ustad Garru Khan and Ustad Uday Khan, who were the father and paternal uncles and the gurus of Padmashree Ustad Abdul Latif Khan, Sarwar’s eminent grandfather and guru. Sarwar’s father, Anwar Hussain is also a well known musician. Sarwar began learning Sarangi from his grandfather at a tender age of nine. He performed numerous solo performances and also accompanied several artists in India and abroad. He has accompanied Ud. Rashid Khan, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt. Rajan Sajan Mishra, Pt. Ajoy Chakravarti, Pt. L.K. Pandit, Pt. Anindi Chatterjee and many more.

Subhashish Bhattacharya is one of the most prominent name in the younger generation Tabla artists. He belongs to Rampur Farukhabad schooling of Tabla, as he has been studying under Late Pandit Shyamal Bose, Pandit Prabir Bhattacharya, and Pandit Samir Chatterjee and now he is disciple of maestro Pandit Anindo Chatterjee. At the age of thirteen he has performed in Jadubhatta Music Conference. Since then he has performed almost every music festivals and conference in India like ITC Sangeet Sammelan, Bishwa Banga Sammelan (Kolkata), Swati Thirunal Music Conference (Trivandrum), Music Today Swar Utsav (Delhi), Spicmacay (Virasat, Delhi), Chennai Music Academy, Pracheen Kalakendra (Chandigarh), NCPA (Bombay), Uttar Para Sangeet Chakra (Kolkata) and The Dover Lane Music Conference to name a few. Abroad He has performed in USA, Canada, France, The Netherlands, Greece, South Africa and Quait to participate in innumerous number of concerts and Festivals. Subhasis has performed in the 50th anniversary of India Independence Day at the United Nations (NY). Subhasis is the participant artiste of the International Band "SILK AND STEEL", and "THIEVES OF SLEEP". He is a member of Calcutta Cene Music association. He has scored rhythm as background music in many Films and T.V.Serials.

Prashant Pandav was born into a musical environment. His father Prabhakar Pandav is a vocalist and harmonium player and his grandfather Ambadasrao Deshmukh was also a vocalist and instrumentalist. At the age of nine, Prashant was initiated into the kirtan form of religious music from Maharashtra. He continues to pursue this form and has been felicitated by the Pune Municipal Corporation with the 'Young Kirtankar' award. His tabla training began under Pandurang Mukhade for a period of eight years. He now studies under Pt. Yogesh Samshi, a disciple of renowned tabla maestro Ud. Alla Rakha. Prashant provides accompaniment to vocal music, Marathi theatre music and plays other percussion instruments. He has a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and a Sangeet Visharad degree in vocal music and tabla.

Hailing from the rich traditions of Dharwad, Pandit Kumar Mardur has had his training from his father Pandit Somanath Mardur, a renowned Hindustani Classical Vocalist of Kirana Gharana and a senior disciple of the late Padmabhushan Dr. Basavaraj Rajguru. Endowed with a melodious voice, he is known for pure and aesthetic presentation of ragas, crystal clear taan patterns and command over laya. Kumar has completed his Master’s Degree in Music from Karnatak University, Dharwad. He has received several scholarships and is performing all over the country enthralling audiences. Since 2011, he is working as a Musician Tutor at ITC-SRA. An approved artiste of Akashwani and Doordarshan, Kumar has had numerous performances across the length and breadth of the country, including the Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav in 2011 and a highly successful 3 month USA tour in 2008. The many accolades that have come Kumar’s way include the Padmavibhushan Dr. Mallikarjun Mansur Yuva Puraskar from Dr.Mallikarjun Mansur Memorial National Trust, Dharwad in 2010, Dr.Vasantrao Deshpande Memorial Yuva Kalakar Puraskar 2007 from by Dr.Vasantrao Deshpande Memorial Foundation, Pune; the Vidyasagar Award 2006 from Music Forum, Mumbai; Yuva Gayak Puraskar from Gandharva Mahavidyalay, Pune and 1st prize at several student and youth festivals and competitions.

Pandit Ashis Sengupta is a versatile percussionist of the Banaras gharana. He received his initial training from his father Shri Ranjit Kumar Sengupta and was later groomed by Pandit Nanku Maharaj, Pandit Mahapurush Mishra and Pandit Krishna Kumar Ganguly. Pt. Sengupta has innovated to the various rhythmic compositions learnt from his Gurus and is also blessed with a lot of traditional compositions, Stotras and varieties of Gats from the great Gurus. Both as a soloist and an accompanist to widely varied music styles and performers, he is also an established western drummer to his credit. Apart from playing Tabla, he has composed Bhajans and music arrangements for light music compositions recorded by many reputed audio-video companies. Most recently, he has written a book on Tabla named "Facets of Tabla Playing", published by Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi. He has traveled extensively all over the globe for his performances and lecture-demonstration on Tabla playing under the aegis of numerous organizations. At present he is a member of the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi.