Shallu Jindal bestowed with Urbashee Award

Bhubaneswar: Noted Kuchipudi danseuse and Chairperson of JSPL Foundation Shallu Jindal has been honoured with prestigious Urbashee Award for her contribution to Indian dance and music. She received the award here yesterday during the music festival ‘Kamala Desha Rajakumara’ organized by Prafulla Kar Foundation and Sanskar on the occasion of 81st birthday of eminent musician Prafulla Kar.

Receiving the award Jindal expressed her deep gratitude to Prafulla Kar Foundation and people of Odisha for the honour. “Dance and art are my soul. I make all effort to promote rich culture of Indian dance and music, wherever possible. Receiving the award from legends and Padma Awardee  winners is proud moment for me,” she said. “Odisha is the land where every stone has a tale to tell and every sound of music has divinity imbibed with it. I aspire to contribute more to the art, culture and quality of life of the People of Odisha,” she further added.

Jindal was drawn to the dance from her early days and was initiated into Kuchipudi by her Gurus, Padma Bhushan Raja Radha and Kaushalya Reddy. She is taking steps to popularize Kuchipudi in other parts of India. Her grace, beauty and riveting performances nationally & internationally over the years have held audiences spellbound. She has opened the Jindal Art Institute in New Delhi with the aim of spreading far and wide the rich artistic heritage of India and the world with the masses.

She has been honoured by various organisations for her outstanding achievements in the field of Indian classical dance (Kuchipudi) and contribution in the field of art and culture, education and community development. Some of the awards are Women Achiever Award, Rajeev Gandhi Excellence Awards and Indira Priyadarshini Award, CMO Asia’s Best Social Entrepreneur Award in Singapore, Mahatma Gandhi Award for Best CSR Leadership Award by CSR Liveweek USA and recently the Golden Peacock Award for Social Cultural leadership at London.

Padma Vibhusan Dr. Sitakant Mahapatra, Padmashri Prafulla Kar, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mohapatra (MP, Rajya Sabha), Dr. Prasanna Kumar Patsaani (Former MP), Ananta Narayab Jena (MLA), Dash Benhur (President, Prafulla Kar Foundation) and other dignitaries were present during the award.