Noted classical dancer Sonal Mansingh to be conferred With Srimanta Sankardeva Award 2023

Sonal Mansingh will be given the award in recognition of her dedication to promoting Indian dance forms on the global stage.

Dr. Sonal Mansingh, a legendary figure in Indian classical dance, known for her mastery in Bharatanatyam and Odissi will be conferred with Srimanta Sankardeva Award 2023 by the Assam government.

She will be given the award in recognition of her dedication to promoting Indian dance forms on the global stage.

President Droupadi Murmu will confer the award to Dr. Sonal Mansingh in a ceremony to be held in Guwahati on April 25, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“On 25th April, Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji will confer the Srimanta Sankardeva Award 2023 upon noted classical dancer Smt. Sonal Mansingh ji. This award will be given as a recognition towards her devotion in taking Indian dance forms to a global audience,” CM Sarma posted on X.

On 25th April, Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji will confer the Srimanta Sankardeva Award 2023 upon noted classical dancer Smt. Sonal Mansingh ji.

This award will be given as a recognition towards her devotion in taking Indian dance forms to a global audience. pic.twitter.com/juJJmXyphj

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 21, 2025

The Srimanta Sankardeva Award is one of Assam’s most prestigious honours, recognising significant contributions in the fields of culture, art, and social service.

Who is Dr. Sonal Mansingh?

Born on April 30, 1944 she hails from Mumbai. She began learning Manipuri dance at the age of 4 in Nagpur, alongside her elder sister, under the guidance of a local teacher. By the age of 7, she had also started training in Bharatanatyam from various gurus of the Pandanallur school, including Kumar Jayakar in Bombay.

At the age of 18, despite her family’s opposition, she moved to Bangalore to study Bharatanatyam under Prof. U. S. Krishna Rao and Chandrabhaga Devi. She also trained in abhinaya with Mylapore Gowri Ammal.

In 1965, she expanded her repertoire by beginning her training in Odissi under the legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.

She has since been promoted to Indian classical arts worldwide with passion and dedication.

She has been honoured with several prestigious awards for her remarkable contributions to Indian classical dance. Among her notable awards are the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), the Padma Bhushan (1992), and the Padma Vibhushan (2003). In recognition of her lifelong dedication to the arts, she was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2018.

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