About
Uma Sharma is a distinguished Kathak dancer, choreographer and teacher, honoured with the Padma Bhushan. She is most known for reviving the old classical form of Natwari Nritya, the Raslila of Brindavan from which Kathak evolved, and for running the Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan, the dance and music academy founded by her father in New Delhi.
Born in 1942 in Dholpur, Uma Sharma trained in Kathak within a strong family and gharana tradition and became one of its leading exponents, honoured with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. She has performed widely in India and abroad, revived the Natwari Nritya of Brindavan, and led the Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan academy her father founded in 1946, training many students.
The artistry
Sharma's dance is rooted in the devotional Krishna poetry of the medieval centuries and the refined court poetry of later Kathak, and she is especially celebrated for reconnecting the form with its Natwari Nritya and Raslila origins. A performer, choreographer and dedicated guru, she has sustained a classical, tradition-honouring practice across decades.
[Atlas Perspective] Uma Sharma is a senior Kathak legend and guru who reconnected the form with its devotional roots. For flagship festivals and heritage programmes, she is a distinguished choice.
Uma Sharma has been central to preserving and enriching Kathak, notably by reviving its Natwari Nritya and Raslila roots, and through her academy has passed the tradition to new generations across a distinguished career.