IGNCA marks Prof Mohan Khokar’s centenary

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Janpath, came alive on Thursday evening as 108 dancers of Delhi gathered to celebrate the centenary of Prof Mohan Khokar, fondly remembered as “Mr. Dance of India.” Conceived and curated by dance historian Ashish Khokar, the cultural spectacle paid tribute to the scholar’s extraordinary legacy through performance, memory and scholarship.

The evening opened with a ceremonial presentation by 25 artists from the Indian Revival Group and disciples of leading gurus, followed by a vibrant line-up featuring Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam and Kathak. Disciples of legendary gurus like Yamini Krishnamurthy and Harish Gangani shared the stage with emerging talents such as Rahul Varshney, Proma Mukherjee, Rashmi Khanna and others, bringing together tradition and fresh energy.

A galaxy of Padma awardees and eminent gurus — Shovana Narain, Madhavi Mudgal, Ranjana Gauhar, Vanashree Rao, Pratibha Prahlad, Geeta Mahalik, among others — joined the celebrations, making the evening a rare moment of fraternity in Delhi’s dance circles.

Trustees Sonal Mansingh, Padma Subrahmanyam, Bharat Gupt, along with IGNCA Member Secretary Sachchidanand Joshi, lent the occasion its gravitas. Remembering her first meeting with Khokar in 1966, Mansingh said, “He was a man of discipline and unwavering ethics, with a heart of gold. His remarkable collection is a treasure of our cultural history.”

Joshi called the Mohan Khokar Dance Collection (MKDC) “the true shaan of IGNCA,” adding that they hope to soon nominate it for UNESCO heritage recognition. Veteran scholar Karan Singh, who delivered the Third Mohan Khokar Memorial Lecture, praised Khokar’s “single-handed” effort to preserve India’s cultural heritage and welcomed its permanent home at IGNCA.

The evening also saw the launch of the silver jubilee edition of AttenDance — the annual dance yearbook founded by Khokar. Themed Indian Dance in France, the volume was released by Prof. Bharat Gupt, with Aman Nath of the Neemrana Group receiving the first copy. An exhibition, The A–Z of Indian Dance – Vignettes of Veterans, and the premiere of the film Mr. Dance of India further enriched the celebrations.

Reflecting on his father’s vision, Ashish Khokar said, “This centenary is not just about remembrance, but about celebrating the history of Indian dance he preserved for generations.”