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 Dr Nandkishore Kapote is a rare Kathaka- Tapati Chowdhuriee-mail: tapatichow@yahoo.co.in August 27, 2025 In an informal tête-à-tête with Dr Nandkishore Kapote in Pune, I discovered that he is a rare breed of Kathaka. He is the Director of Dr D.Y. Patil Vidyapith School of Liberal Arts and a successful Kathaka, Kathak guru, guide, choreographer and orator. Nandkishore showed his inclination for the arts in general and dance in particular from early childhood. Without any formal training in dance, when he was but a child, the sound of ankle bells in Muhammad Rafi's rendition, Pag men ghungharu bandhke Mira nachere, Giradhar ki muraliya baje re's rhythmical beauty was irresistible to Nandkishore. He took to dance like a duck to water.  The chance of a lifetime came to the school boy when he saw the great Kathak dancer Gopikrishna dance. He was inspired to want to learn Kathak nritya at any cost. The grandmaster of Kathak invited him to Mumbai to learn Kathak dance from him. But the boy lost the jackpot. Discontinuing his school studies in Pune to learn Kathak in Mumbai was well nigh impossible. However, determination made him run an extra mile. If not Gopikrishna, his student Mira Pandol, teaching Kathak in Pune, came as a good option, as he discovered while going to school with his grandmom. Kathak was allowed only as a hobby by his grandparents, with whom he had been living. Subsequently he trained under Gurus Munna Shukla and Prabha Marathe, who taught Kathak in Pune, and earned his diploma followed by his bachelor's degree in Kathak in 1975. Soon after graduating in Commerce in 1977-78 and securing a National Scholarship, his grandfather Gangadhar Kapote, who was a high-ranking government official, wanted him to join the Civil Services. But that was not his grandson's calling. Nandkishore's abiding interest in Kathak granted him permission to pursue it in Kathak Kendra under Pt Birju Maharaj. At last, his first love to be with Kathak under the great maestro found fruition. What could he desire more than to be learning Kathak in the Guru-Shishya-Parampara for ten years under Panditji of the Kalka Bindadin family? His sincerity of purpose saw him taking part in all the productions of Panditji as a protagonist as well as in all the important productions of Kathak Kendra in all its major roles. Nandkishore recounted his experience under Panditji. Maharaj ji was an unparalleled Kathaka, matchless in laykari as well as bhav darshan. Maharaj ji was a skilled Nartaka, singer, composer, player of several instruments and a poet to boot. His tastes were aesthetic. Even his anger was no less aesthetic. In all his long years of association with him, Nandkishore saw him get angry only once. He did not lose his temper, though. Even his wrath had aesthetic beauty.  Nandkishore Kapote with Pt Birju Maharaj Nandkishore recounted to me the experience of a day when they were in their usual two-hour practice at Kathak Kendra. The students were practising a 'paran' he had taught them with 17 chakkars, but they were taking umpteen chakkars. They had not noticed him standing quietly at the doorway. They stopped when they saw him. He came in with his usual smile and greeted them, and the class started in what seemed usual. He commenced with 'Gadadin Nagethit paran', in which there was 'kit dha tit dha' followed by 17 chakkars. After this he continued teaching them a few more 'parans', which had 25, 40, or 50 chakkars one after the other. Tired of taking chakkars, they understood their mistake and apologised to Panditji and promised to practise what he had taught more diligently, leaving Maharaj ji much amused. Very beautifully he had taught them 'chakkar ki tukre'. His anger was vented positively. Starting from 20th December 1980, after Nandkishore had presented his first solo production under the aegis of Sur Singar's 'Kal ke Kalakar' and won the title of Singar Mani in the presence of Kathak Queen Sitara Devi and earned her praise, there was no looking back. He had solo performances coming his way one after the other - performances at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Azad Bhavan, Hyderabad House, Kamani Auditorium, Triveni, India International Centre, Industrial Trade Fair, Maharashtra Mandal, etc. It was revealing to know that Nandkishore was named after the redeemer of mankind, Lord Srikrishna. He was born in Jalgaon in Maharashtra on 10th August 1956, on the auspicious day of the Lord's birth, when we mortals celebrate Janmashtami in his honour. His parents were so gratified that a child came to them on the very date when Devaki was blessed with the charioteer who would guide us all to the kingdom of heaven that they named him Nandkishore. A much-awarded artiste, the most prestigious award he received is the one given by Sangeet Natak Akademi by President Draupadi Murmu on 23 February 2023. His stint with Delhi Doordarshan is well known for his "Akhil Bharatiya Dance" which presented his Kathak nritya in Doordarshan consecutively for several years.  From 1982, he traveled to foreign countries. He had accompanied Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan to Russia and Holland. Thereafter, to Kuwait with Kathak exponent Uma Sharma, followed by his visit to Russia, the USA and Canada with Pt. Birju Maharaj. He found his foreign visits, whether with stalwarts or on his own, quite challenging and joyful. To serve the next generation, he set up the Nandkishore Cultural Society of Dance and Music Academy at Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, which was inaugurated by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. The dance-dramas he directed include 'Balgandharv' based on Marathi Natya Sangit; 'Naravar Krishna Saman' on the life of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar; and 'Mahamanav' on Bhagwan Shankar, based on the 10 stories of Shiva and the Navarasa, among others, which have received much acclaim. In his institution in Pune, he celebrates the Kathak Maha Yagna Festival for the youth, where he holds all kinds of dance activities. He is also an enrolled Kathak Guru at Pune University. How about his other activities centering around Kathak? "I am an examiner in Alankar Shastra and am also a writer of several articles on Kathak. I work as an examiner in the S.S.C. Board Exam of the Maharashtra Board. My name is etched in the Limca Book of Records for my school's participation in 1991. I have established the Pt. Birju Maharaj Dance and Music Museum and Research Centre and Library in his presence in 2006. I have also, in the presence of Kathak Queen Sitara Devi, instituted a Museum of Art in her name in 2014. In the memory of my parents, I have introduced Vimal Bhaskar Puraskar in 2011. I am a guide for PhD students at Sri Sri University Cuttack, Savitri Bai Phule Pune University, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapith and Sri Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vidyapith in Panvel." Kathak is Nandkishore's life. Besides being an exponent of the form, he is also a prolific writer and has penned several books on Kathak and the Natya Shastra.  Tapati Chowdhurie trained under Guru Gopinath in Madras and was briefly with International Centre for Kathakali in New Delhi. Presently, she is a freelance writer on the performing arts. She is the author of 'Guru Gopinath: The Making of a Legend.' Post your comments Please provide your name and email id along with your comment. All appropriate comments posted with name and email id in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
