Promise of a vibrant outreach

For three years, the Delhi-based Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) had not had a full-time chairperson. So, when Sandhya Purecha was given the responsibility two years ago, she faced the formidable challenge of steering the Akademi through a backlog of accumulated work. The task was not easy — it required a delicate balance between addressing pending issues, managing current affairs and laying the groundwork for the future.

In the last two years, the SNA has launched several pioneering initiatives. Among these are unique festivals held at temples and various venues across India, celebrating the rich diversity of Indian performing arts. A particularly notable project is the ongoing training of 100 artistes in distinct art forms under the guru-shishya parampara, a mentorship programme that has been implemented on a national scale. Additionally, the Akademi has introduced the Kala Dharohar workshop and training series, aimed at familiarising school and college students with Indian art forms.

Purecha’s professional journey in the arts has been deeply influenced by her training under the eminent maestro, the late Guru Acharya Parvati Kumar, in the Thanjavur baani of Bharatanatyam. “This traditional training in the guru-shishya parampara has not only honed my skills but has also instilled in me a profound respect for the classical arts,” she says.

A celebrated artiste herself, Purecha has made significant contributions to Indian arts. One of her most remarkable achievements is her solo performance of all 324 shlokas of the ‘Abhinaya Darpanam’, an ancient dance treatise, archived in an audio-visual format by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. Purecha is also the founder of the Sarfojiraje Bhosale BNT&R Centre, an NGO dedicated to preserving and promoting Indian arts and culture, raising cultural awareness and advocating for women’s rights. Her NGO offers free training in the arts to economically-disadvantaged students from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation schools.

With a career spanning over four decades, Purecha has performed more than 5,000 times on national and international stages. Her choreographic work includes traditional solo and group ensembles, research-based productions, thematic dance ballets, jugalbandis, collaborative works, and contemporary choreographies.

Reflecting on her tenure as chairperson of the SNA, Dr Purecha says, “In every field, challenges are inevitable, particularly when one is committed to bringing about meaningful change. This is largely due to the unwavering support of my team at the SNA, the government, and the artiste community, all of whom have rallied behind my vision.”

Purecha personally believes in encouraging the rare arts that form the roots of our country, yet are not very well known. She demands that they should get a nationwide platform too. Keeping that vision in mind, she says, “We have had workshops and seminars in Sattriya dance, children’s theatre, putul parampara (puppet festival), Jyotirgamaya (a festival with unsung performers), organised lectures on poet Nirala’s extraordinary work, the importance and depth of Hindi language, music festivals and talks on technical aspects of dance.”

“One of my most loved events held across India was Amrit Yuva Kalotsav, a series of festivals showcasing young artistes and the continuum of our myriad performing art genres, traditions and expressions. I am thrilled to share that this Kala Utsav was very successful with events held in Delhi, Goa, Chennai, Imphal, Bhopal, Jammu, Lucknow, Mumbai, Udupi, Varanasi, Kalady, Shillong, Gangtok, Agartala, Raipur, Puducherry and so on. The Mahotsav had youth flocking to the world of art like never before.” Coming up is an international seminar on Indian dance in October and an international seminar on music in February.

Recently, Purecha was awarded the Bharat Gaurav Samaan at the British Parliament and the prestigious Kalidas Samman by the Madhya Pradesh government, a recognition that she describes as both elating and humbling.

On the issue of political interference in cultural bodies like the SNA, Purecha says: “I have never experienced any interference at all; the government officials and ministers have always allowed me to focus on my work and my vision for the Akademi.”

— The writer is an award-winning Bollywood choreographer.