 |
    |
|
|
OBIT / TRIBUTEPratap Pawar (1942-2026)- Ashish Mohan Khokare-mail: khokar1960@gmail.com June 26, 2026 In the death of guru Pratap Pawar (20 May 1942 - 23 June 2026), a lifetime Kathak trotter came to an end. A generous man but democratic personality, he was the FIRST ganda bandh (formally accepted student with a red thread on wrist tying ceremony) shishya of Pt. guru Birju Maharaj in 1970.  He with Tirath Ajmani, Pradeep Shankar and Bharati Gupta were the first generation students of Pt Birju Maharaj. Amjad Ali Khan remained a close friend from those days. They were also pioneers who were sent abroad to teach Kathak by ICCR to small countries with huge diaspora Indian populations like Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Guyana. Pratap Pawar never returned home and finally settled in London with wife Priya Pawar and daughter Asawari and son Prashant. He taught many in London, based at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Among his star students is Akram Khan. Pratap Pawar was also a distant cousin of Asha Bhonsle and did shows with her. He briefly did dance sequences in Hindi films like Dhund with Sanjay Khan and Zeenat Aman. He remains an original specimen of that period when Kathak was still Kathak and not much individual interpolation had begun. In his passing, a pillar abroad in UK is lost forever. As his official biographer 20 years ago ('My life in Dance', Amazon) I got to know him closely. A good hearted man, he was also pernickety and picky in relationships. He trained well and his granddaughter Budgie was his lifeline in the end. May he meet his maker doing choice tatkar and toddes! More info: Pratap Pawar: Global Guru of Kathak - Ashish Mohan Khokar  Critic, connoisseur, historian, author, artivist, archivist, administrator and more - editor, columnist and mentor Ashish Khokar remains true to his muse. More on attendance-india.com Responses * A great loss to the Kathak fraternity. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Om Shanti. His invaluable contribution to the world of Kathak will always be remembered. - Afsar Khan (June 27, 2026) * Thank you for the education on the lineage. Contemporary folks and current generation audience / rasikas know Akram Khan - good to see the grandeur behind that incredible talent. Thanks, Ashish. RIP, Pawarji. - Roopa Doraswamy (June 27, 2026) * Pranam to the memory of Guru Pratap Pawar, a true titan of dance. Khokarji’s words carry a comforting familiarity that feels like a shared, quiet understanding between old friends. There is no drooling sentiment here - just a clean, sharp truth that respects the finality of a great life fully lived. - Lata Surendra (June 27, 2026) Post your comments Please provide your name along with your comment. All appropriate comments posted with name in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
