Acknowledgements

Guru Pravash Kumar Mohanty
Guru Pravash mohanty learned gotipua dance under late Guru Ranka Mahakud at chatrapur in orissa. Thereafter he started performing as a stage artist in the famous operas(drama groups) of orissa. In 1974 he joined sangeet natak academy, bhubaneswar and worked there as an actor for one year. Then Pravash came in contact with Guru Dev Prasad Das, one of the founding pillars of contemporary odissi dance and learned classical, odissi and folkdances from him.

After a footing in delhi he came in contact with many gurus and odissi exponents. Amongst them guru srinath rout taught him mature abhinaya(acting) based odissi dance. He also successfully completed three years traning under Guru Durga Charan Ranbir. Pravash is running a dance school named patitapawan kala niketan whwere the teaches odissi, gotipua and folk dances. He has performed, conducted and participated in numerable music and dance festivals all over the country and abroad.some of his important dance recitals, bhubaneswar and delhi centres. He has taken part in temple festival, youth festival, orissa festivals and many more.

To his credit Pravash has got kalabhusan from Ghungur Ala Kendra, New Delhi Seva Shree award by regional films and cultural development society, pallishree samman from pallibani, sookruti Biju Patnaik samman and nilamadhav samman a few amount other awards. Presently he is working as a dance director in nehru centre of art and dance, new delhi and he has also been appointed as practical examiner by pracheen kalakendra,chandigarh.