Bhubaneswar: Legendary Odissi dancer Padma Shri Guru Mayadhara Rout passed away this morning. He was 95.

Family members said Rout breathed his last at around 11 am at his residence in New Delhi.

Considered as the Father of Odissi dance, Guru Mayadhara Rout is the pioneering spirit who revived Odissi dance in 1950s with Shastra-based knowledge. He codified, redefined and restructured Odissi dance to bring it to the level of a classical dance form.

Rout was born on 6th July 1930. His training in Gotipua dance began at the age of 7. He was the first to present the Gotipua dance on stage in 1944. He was the founder–member of the Kala Vikas Kendra (Cuttack) and joined there as the very first Odissi Guru in 1952. It was the first institute in the country where Odissi began to be taught. Along with his colleagues he founded Jayantika Association in 1959, to work on the codification and development of Odissi dance and provided it with classical frameworks and built its vocabulary incorporating basic sciences of Abhinaya.

Rout introduced Sanchari Bhava, Mudra Viniyoga, and Rasa Theory in the study of Odissi. He was the first Guru to choreograph Gitagovinda Ashtapadis with Shringara Rasa like Pashyati Dishi Dishi, Priya Charu Shile and Sakhi.

In 1968, Rout relocated to Delhi. He headed the Odissi department at the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra from 1970 to 1995. The Kamani Auditorium in Delhi was inaugurated with his Geetagovinda in 1971. He also started the Odissi classes at the Jagannath Mandir, Delhi in 1970. 

He has visited more than 35 countries in his mission to promote Odissi dance. His school Jayantika (Mayadhar Raut School of Odissi Dance) has teaching centres all over the world. 

Guru Mayadhar Raut has been honoured with Tagore Akademi Ratna(2011), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1985), Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1977), Sahitya Kala Prishad Award (1984), Upendra Bhanja Samman (2005), Rajeev Gandhi Sadbhavana Award (2003), Biju Patnaik Samman (1993), Utkal Prativa Puraskar (1984), Bharat Ke Sangeet Ratna Award (2007), Ghungur Samman(2010) amongst many others.