The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) hosted a grand event marking the centenary year of Prof. Mohan Khokar, a pioneer of Indian dance history and an eminent dance scholar. On this occasion, renowned dance gurus from India and abroad, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan awardees, Sangeet Natak Akademi award-winning artists, scholars, and many distinguished cultural personalities gathered together. The chief guest of the Prof. Mohan Khokar Centenary Year celebration was IGNCA Trustee, former Rajya Sabha MP, world-renowned dancer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh. On the occasion, eminent scholar, author, statesman, and diplomat Dr. Karan Singh delivered the third Prof. Mohan Khokar Memorial Lecture. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA, while the welcome address was given by Prof. Achal Pandya, Head of Conservation and Cultural Archives at IGNCA. The programme concluded with remarks by the curator and editor, Prof. Ashish Khokar. The stage was also graced by the presence of Ms. K. Nandini Singla, Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), and Mr. Aman Nath, Chairman of the Neemrana Group.In his lecture, Dr. Karan Singh highlighted the achievements of Prof. Mohan Khokar, remarking that what one man (Mohan Khokar) accomplished was nothing short of a miracle. He noted that if Khokar had sold his collection abroad, he would have earned millions of dollars and lived in great comfort, but he ensured that the collection never left India. Dr. Karan Singh emphasised that Mohan Khokar’s work is a priceless treasure for future generations, enabling research and study in Indian dance. He also underlined that Indian culture is not confined to India alone but is universal in its essence, and that we must take pride in it. He concluded his lecture with a Shiva Stuti.
Dr. Sonal Mansingh remarked that the occasion was not just one of remembrance but of celebration. She observed that Mohan Khokar preserved the history of Indian dance with extraordinary precision and dedication, creating a priceless legacy for generations to come. His vision, she noted, went beyond performance to the establishment of a permanent archive where the spirit of dance could be experienced. With IGNCA’s support, that dream has now been realised. She added that such initiatives not only preserve the arts but also connect younger generations deeply with them.
Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, elaborating on the Mohan Khokar Dance Collection, described it as the largest dance collection in the world and a matter of great pride for IGNCA. He stressed that the Mohan Khokar Dance Collection should be included in UNESCO’s heritage list.
Ashish Khokar, distinguished dance historian, critic, and son of the late Mohan Khokar, said that the centenary was not just an occasion to remember his father but also to celebrate the history of Indian dance that he so painstakingly preserved for generations. “His vision was to create a permanent archive where the spirit of dance could be experienced beyond performance, and with IGNCA’s support, that dream has found its rightful home,” he said.
The programme opened with a dance-drama performed by 25 artists, including Pt. Harish Gangani (Baroda), renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi guru and Padma Bhushan awardee Yamini Krishnamurthy’s disciples, members of the Indian Revival Group, and several other dance masters, whose performances enthralled the audience. This was followed by the screening of a special film on Prof. Mohan Khokar, ‘Mr. Dance of India’, produced by the Gemini Roy family and Film Karigar.
The event was graced by celebrated dancers including Shovana Narayan, Ranjana Gauhar, Madhavi Mudgal, Vanashree Rao, Kiran Segal, Pratibha Prahlad, Nalini-Kamalini, Geeta Mahalik, along with many renowned dancers and scholars from India and abroad. Adding to the grandeur were well-known personalities such as Sharon Lowen, Papia Desai, Rajendra Gangani, Sayoni Chakraborty, Ambika Panicker, Arushi Mudgal, Malti Shyam, Sangeeta Chatterjee, Vidha Lal, Nisha Mahajan, Rani Khanam, and Ravi Yadav.
On this occasion, the silver jubilee special issue of Prof. Mohan Khokar’s prestigious annual dance journal ‘AttenDance’, titled ‘Indian Dance in France’, was released by the dignitaries on stage, with the first copy being presented to Mr. Aman Nath. The guest editor of this issue is Sonya Vaini Singh from Montpellier, France, and it features detailed accounts of 70 dancers and institutions.
The main ceremony also featured a spectacular performance by 100 dancers from Delhi, captivating the audience. Alongside these events, an exhibition titled The A–Z of Indian Dance – Vignettes of Veterans was inaugurated. This grand celebration not only paid tribute to the unforgettable contributions of Prof. Mohan Khokar but also reaffirmed IGNCA’s continued commitment to preserving India’s dance heritage and passing it on to future generations.
About Prof. Mohan Khokar
Born in undivided Punjab on 30 December 1924, Prof. Mohan Khokar trained under Zohra Segal before becoming the first male student of Kalakshetra in 1945, directly under Rukmini Devi Arundale and Peria Sarada. In 1949, he married Bharatanatyam star and guru M.K. Saroja. His vast legacy includes the Mohan Khokar Dance Collection (MKDC), now housed at IGNCA, preserved under the leadership of Dr. Sachidanand Joshi with the Conservation and Cultural Archives team led by Prof. Achal Pandya. The MKDC gallery today stands at the pride of place at IGNCA’s main entrance, a cultural archive of national significance. It will be open from 18/9 to 30/12/25 (end of the year). It is the first dance museum and archives of India, internationally.