For me, the defining force of life did not emerge from success, but from a profound personal loss. As a woman, as a human being, and as a dancer, I have always felt that the deepest current shaping my journey was the untimely passing of my Guru, Pandit Durga Lal ji.
He was only 42 when he left this world. His passing deeply affected many, but for me, it was life-altering. It felt as though something within me had been shaken at its very core. My relationship with Guruji was never limited to that of teacher and disciple. It was a bond of deep trust, reverence, and spiritual closeness, and his absence was something I could never truly overcome.
In many ways, my real journey as a dancer began after his passing. Out of that grief arose a lifelong resolve: that for as long as I live, I will continue to keep his name illuminated through my work. I have always felt a sacred responsibility to remind people of who he was, and of the brilliance, depth, and artistic excellence he embodied.
Even today, young Kathak dancers continue to draw inspiration from his work. They study his videos, observe his artistry, and follow his legacy. Yet as his disciple, I have always believed that it is my duty to carry that legacy forward through my own dance, my institution, my disciples, and the platforms I have created for others.
Everything I have built over the last 36 years has come from that source alone. This is not merely something I feel. It is the essence of who I am.
