Free joint replacement surgeries for retired teachers from rural areas under Guru Namana programme

Young kathak artiste Shinjini Kulkarni feels that the teachings of her guru and maternal grandfather Pt Birju Maharaj are the biggest blessings in her life. “Coming from a family where everyone is an expert, you learn from everyone. Nana had easy ways to engrain things into you. In a little time, he used to tell you such nuances that you can practice that all your life. Guru se upar ka rishta tha (he meant more than a guru to me)… he used to take us for films, chaat-papdi and what not! The biggest lesson I learnt is to stay true to the pure art form.”

She adds, “My mother Anita Kulkarni is a visual artist, which I also inherited and as a hobby I paint and do clay modelling, but my passion is performing arts. Inspired by nana, I am also teaching kids from humble backgrounds for the last six years.”

Deepmala Sachan was barely 12 years old when she first met her guru, Kumkum Dhar, a former vice-chancellor of Bhatkhandey Music University in Lucknow. “We lived in the same apartment building. The sound of ghungroo (which is an anklet worn by classical dancer) that often came from her house got me into kathak. My mother took me to her and she trained me as per the ‘guru-shishya parampara’.