Rajkumar Singhajit Singh

Rajkumar Singhajit Singh

Raj Kumar Singhajit Singh with his wife Charu Sija Mathur, in 2008
Born (1931-05-01) May 1, 1931
Manipur, India
Occupation Classical Indian dancer (Manipuri dance), choreographer, scholar
Website www.manipuri-dance.com/index.htm

Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, (born May 1, 1935) is a leading exponent, choreographer and a guru of Indian classical dance form of Manipuri, including the Pung cholom and Raslila.[1] He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984 [2] and the Padma Shri in 1986 for his contribution to the Manipuri dance. In the year 2011, Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's The National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama, awarded him with its highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for his contribution to Indian Dance.

Guru Singhajit Singh and his wife Charu Sija Mathur, who is also a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award recipient, have established, Manipuri Nrityashram, a Manipuri dance school, in New Delhi.

Biography

Rajkumar Singhajit Singh was born in a family of dancers and musicians in Manipur. Early in life, he was fortunate to receive his dance education from the finest gurus of Manipuri dance, starting with ‘Guru Ojha Iboton Singh’ (1942–46) for Pung (drum), followed by ‘Guru Amubi Singh’ (1948–54) – Jagoi; ‘Guru Thambal Angou Singh’ (1950–52) - Kartal Chalom; ‘Guru Chauba Singh’ (1952–53) - Kartal Chalom; and with ‘Guru Ojha Gaura Singh’ (1952–53) from whom he learned the martial arts with Sword & Spear,[3] and soon established himself as a dancer, choreographer and artist of repute [4]

He joined Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi, in 1954, as Head of the Manipur Dance Section, and later in 1962, founded the ‘Triveni Ballet’ of which he was Director and Principal Dancer.[3]

Over the year, he and his dance troupe, have extensively travelled to several countries in Europe, the former USSR, North and South America, Japan, West Asia and Africa.[3] Their recent choreography, Ashta Nayika, has received wide recognition, from both viewers and critics alike [5][6]

Awards

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ Rich traditions from the East The Tribune, September 26, 2000
  2. ↑ Official list of awardees - Creative Dance/Choreography the Sangeet Natak Akademi Official website.
  3. 1 2 3 4 DR. R.K. Singhajit Singh Profile Homi Bhabha Fellowship Council, Mumbai, Fellowship:1976-1978.
  4. ↑ Wedded to Dance Indian Express, July 29, 1999.
  5. ↑ From zero to ten in a step The Hindu, August 1, 2008."...Choreographer Singhajit Singh’s Ashta Nayika, in a freshly conceived interlacing of the Nata Sankirtan and rasa, was a delight." - Leela Venkatraman.
  6. ↑ Celestial numbers The Hindu, July 25, 2008.
  7. ↑ Homi Bhabha Fellowship, List of Fellows # 34. 1976-1978.
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