Baisali Mohanty Biography 
Baisali Mohanty is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer of Odissi dance form. She is an author, columnist and analyst of foreign and public policy. Born in 1994, aged only 23, she is one among the promising young Odissi dancers of the country, and she has achieved success at a very young age. She is also a contributor on foreign policy and strategic affairs to many international publications. She is an ALC Global Fellow for the year 2015-16 affiliated to University of Oxford, and is the founder of Oxford Odissi Centre in Oxford University, US. She completed Visharad Degree in Odissi dance with first class distinction.
Baisali Mohanty was born in Puri, Odisha on 5 August 1994. She is the daughter of well-known feminist of the country, Manasi Pradhan, a social worker and an author. Her father’s name is Radha Binod Mohanty, an IIT graduate. Her schooling was done at her hometown, and graduation from Delhi. She took Master's Degree from University of Oxford. Baisali was initiated to the world of traditional Odissi dance form at a young age, and Guru Gangadhar Pradhan was her first guru, under whom she practised for more than a decade. She continued learning the art form from Guru Ileana Citaristi.
She founded the Oxford Odissi Centre at University of Oxford in 2015, at the age of only 21. Her aim was to popularize the dance form in US and different parts of the world. She also conducts Odissi dance workshops at other institutions, to promote this art form. She is also the founder of Oxford Odissi Festival, held at Oxford Odissi Centre at University of Oxford. She was honoured with Aarya Award in 2017.
Published: July 28, 2018
Updated: July 28, 2018
