Sonal Mansingh

Infobox actor
name = Sonal Mansingh


imagesize =
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birthname = Sonal Pakvasa
birthdate = Birth date and age|1944|5|1|mf=y
location = Mumbai, British India
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = Indian classical dancer, choreographer
yearsactive = 1962- present
spouse =
othername =
awards = 1987: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
2003:Padma Vibhushan
2006:Kalidas Samman

Dr. Sonal Mansingh (Hindi: सोनल मानसिंह) (b. May 1 1944) is an eminent Indian classical dancer and choreographer of Odissi dancing style; who is also proficient in other Indian classical dancing styles including Bharatnatyam [ [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/10/20/stories/2006102001550200.htm Bharatanatyam performance by Sonal Mansingh] The Tribune, October 20, 2006.] , Kuchipudi, and Chhau [http://www.mansinghsonal.com/biography.html Biography] Official website.] [ [http://dances.indobase.com/dancers/sonal-mansingh.html Sonal Mansingh] dances.indobase.com.] .

Biography

Early life and education

Sonal Mansingh was born on May 1, 1944 in Mumbai, second of three children to Arvind and Poornima Pakvasa, a noted social worker from Gujarat and Padma Bhushan winner in 2002. Her grandfather was Mangal Das Pakvasa, a freedom fighter, and one of the first five Governors of India [ [http://www.ualberta.ca/~spicm/sonal_mansingh_biography.htm Sonal Mansingh] University of Alberta website,www.ualberta.ca.] .

She started learning Manipuri dance at age four, along with her elder sister, from a teacher in Nagpur, then at age seven she started learning Bharatnatyam from various gurus belonging to the Pandanallur school ["National centre for the performing Arts". Quarterly journal. v.12-13 , "page 3"] , including Kumar Jayakar in Bombay [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/273843.cms Sonal Mansingh: The dance of life] The Times of India, November 9, 2003.]

She has "Praveen" and "Kovid" degrees in Sanskrit from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and B.A. (Hons) degree in German Literature from Elphinstone College, Bombay.

Though, her real training in dance started when at age 18, despite her family's opposition, she went to Bangalore, to learn Bharatanatyam from Prof. U. S. Krishna Rao and Chandrabhaga Devi [ [http://nrcw.nic.in/shared/sublinkimages/191.htm Sonal Mansingh] nrcw.nic.in.] at age 18, and later started learning Odissi from Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in 1965.

Career

Her dancing career which started in 1962, after her "arangetram" in Mumbai, and in 1977, she founded, "Centre for Indian Classical Dances" (CICD) in New Delhi [ [http://mansinghsonal.wordpress.com/ Sonal Mansingh] ] .

Over the years, dance has taken her all over the world [ [http://www.narthaki.com/info/intervw/intrvw52.html Interview] ] and brought her many awards, including the Padma Bhushan (1992), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987 [ [http://www.sangeetnatak.com/programmes_recognition&honours_dance_odissi.html Awards Odissi] Sangeet Natak Akademi Official website.] , and the Padma Vibhushan, India's the second highest civilian award, in 2003; making her the first woman dancer in India to receive such an honour [ [http://www.webindia123.com/personal/dancer/sonal.htm Sonal] ] . This was followed by Kalidas Samman of Madhya Pradesh Government, in 2006 and on April 21 2007, she was conferred with Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by G.B. Pant University, Uttarakhand at Pantnagar [ [http://www.hinduonnet.com/fr/2007/04/27/stories/2007042700390300.htm String of awards for Sonal Mansingh] The Hindu, April 27, 2007.] .

To mark the completion of her 40 years in dancing in 2002, noted Hindi film director, Prakash Jha made a documentary film on her, title "Sonal" , which also won the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film for the year [ [http://www.prakashjhaproductions.com/sonal.html "Sonal"] ] .

Choreographies

* "Indradhanush"
* "Manavatta"
* "Mera Bharat"
* "Draupadi"
* "Gita Govinda"
* "Sabras"
* "Chaturang" [ [http://www.culturopedia.com/Personalities/indianpersonality-sonalmansingh.html Famous Personalities of India] ]
* "Panchkanya"
* "Devi Durga"
* "Aatmayan" [ [http://www.4to40.com/legends/index.asp?id=953 Legends of India] ]
* "Samanavaya"

Quotes

*"A dancer is not just a dancer. She is part of this environment. She does not exist in a vacuum. Society and its happenings have an impact on all individuals, especially artists. If an art form does not reflect the existing milieu, it stagnates." [ [http://www.artindia.net/sonal.html Sonal Mansingh] www.artindia.net.]

* "Radha is a grand image too but she's a personification of love without which there is no creation. In our male-dominated mythology the image of Krishna at the feet of Radha, begging for her love, is most unusual. Gita Govind invokes deep spiritual thoughts, packaged in beautifully written verses"." [http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=ac0f708f-339e-4eda-be3e-42d2bb2826e0 Art and Culture] Hindustan Times, March 18, 2008.]

Bibliography

* "The Penguin Book of Indian Dance" by Sonal Mansingh, Penguin Books Australia. ISBN 0140139214.
* "Classical Dances" by Sonal Mansingh, Avinash Pasricha, Varsha Das. 2007, Wisdom Publications. ISBN 8183280676.
* "Draupadi", by Sonal Mansingh; Museum Society of Bombay, 1994.

Further reading

* "Sonal Mansingh Contribution to Odissi Dance" by Jiwan Pani. 1992, Centre for Indian Classical Dances. ISBN 8173040028.
* "Bharata Natyam: Indian Classical Dance Art", by Sunil Kothari. MARG Publications, 1979. "Page 169-170".

References

*"India’s 50 Most Illustrious Women" (ISBN 81-88086-19-3) by Indra Gupta

ee also

* Indian women in dance

External links

* [http://www.mansinghsonal.com/ Sonal Mansingh website]