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Shobha Deepak Singh

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Shobha Deepak Singh
Born(1943-10-21)21 October 1943(age 81)
New Delhi,India
Occupation(s)Culturalimpresario
Photographer
Writer
Years active1963–Present
Known forShriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra
SpouseDeepak Singh
ChildrenOne daughter
Parent(s)Lala Charat Ram
Sumitra Charat Ram
AwardsPadma Shri
WebsiteOfficial website

Shobha Deepak Singhis an Indian culturalimpresario,photographer, writer, classical dancer and the director ofShriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra,[1]a Delhi-based cultural organization which promotes music and performing arts, through its schools and stage shows.[2]She is known for her contributions for the revival ofMayurbhanj Chhau,a tribal martial dance form fromOdisha.[3]The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian award of thePadma Shriin 1999, for her contributions to Arts and culture.[4]

Biography

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Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra.

Shobha was born to Lala Charat Ram ofDCMandSumitra Charat Ram,[5]the renowned artdoyenneandPadma Shriwinner, on 21 October 1943, in the Indian capital of New Delhi.[3]After completing her schooling atModern School, New Delhi,she graduated in Economics with honours fromDelhi Universityin 1963, to start her career as a management trainee at her father's company,Delhi Cloth & General Mills,in 1964. Four years later, subsequent to her marriage to Deepak Singh in 1967, she left DCM and joinedShriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra(SBKK),[3]a cultural organization founded by her mother, in 1952.[6]While managing theKamini Auditoriumof the Kendra, she pursued her studies to secure the degree of Bachelor of Performing Arts and studied dance underShambhu MaharajandBirju Maharajand Music underBiswajit Roy ChowdhuryandAmjad Ali Khan.[3]

In 1992, she joinedLiving TheatreofEbrahim Alkazi,former director of theNational School of Dramaand one of the most influential figures of modernIndian theatre,[7]and studied theatre direction, securing a diploma in 1996. She continued her association with Alkazi and worked as his assistant for four of Alkazi productions namely,Three Sisters,Three Greek Tragedies,A Streetcar Named Desire,andDeath of a Salesman.[3]After the death ofSumitra Charat Ramin 2011, she took over the management of SBKK as its director and runs the activities of the Kendra, aided by her husband.[8]

Singh, a recipient of the 1999Padma Shrihonours,[4]lives in New Delhi with her husband, Deepak Singh, and the couple has a daughter.[3]

Legacy

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One of the more significant contributions of Singh is her activities under the aegis of SBKK which runs theCollege of Music and Dance,offering courses inHindustani classical musicin Vocals and instruments, Light music vocals and dance disciplines such asKathak,Bharatnatyam,Odissi,Mayurbhanj ok,Balletand Contemporary Dance.[9]Several renowned artists and art teachers likeRavi Shankar,Birju Maharaj,Amjad Ali Khan,Shambhu MaharajandShovana Narayanare associated with the organization.[9]She is the organizer ofSummer Ballet Festival,an annual dance festival, conducted in New Delhi.[10]She has also instituted an annual award,Sumitra Charat Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement,to honour excellence in Art,Birju Maharajreceiving the inaugural award in 2011[11]

Singh is an accomplished photographer, covering many of the functions of SBKK personally.[1]She is reported to have exposed over 40,000 films, covering dance, theatre and music. Her first solo exhibition was organized byEbrahim Alkaziat Shridharani Art Gallery in 1996.[12]Since then, she has exhibited her works at various places, including theTriveni Kala Sangam,New Delhi and theNehru Centre, London(2011). In 2013,Alka Pandecurated her exhibition, displaying 250 of Singh's works at theIndia Habitat Centreon 25 March 2013 where a book,Dancescapes: A Photographic Journey,[12]composed of 70 photographs, was released.[13]She has also written a book on Indian theatre, under the title,Theatre Escapes: Experiencing Rasas.[14]

Bibliography

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  • Shobha Deepak Singh (2013).Dancescapes: A Photographic Journey.Roli Books.ISBN978-8174369611.
  • Shobha Deepak Singh (2014).Theatre Escapes: Experiencing Rasas.Kaveri Books.ISBN978-9383098347.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"The Director's Cut".Indian Express. 22 March 2013.Retrieved3 November2015.
  2. ^Ashish Khokar, Sumitra Charat Ram (1998).Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra: A History.Lustre Press. p. 192.ISBN9788174360434.
  3. ^abcdef"Personal Profile".Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra. 2015.Retrieved3 November2015.
  4. ^ab"Padma Awards"(PDF).Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015.Retrieved21 July2015.
  5. ^"Sumitra Charat Ram passes away".Times of India. 9 August 2011.Retrieved3 November2015.
  6. ^"Taking Centre Stage".Indian Express. 25 August 2012.Retrieved3 November2015.
  7. ^"Ebrahim Alkaz".Encyclopædia Britannica. 2015.Retrieved3 November2015.
  8. ^Ashish Mohan Khokar (9 August 2011)."Sumitra Charat Ram: Doyenne of art patronage dies".Narthaki.Retrieved3 November2015.
  9. ^ab"Prospectus".Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra. 2015.Retrieved3 November2015.
  10. ^"Ballet Parking".Indian Express. 3 May 2011.Retrieved3 November2015.
  11. ^"Pt. Birju Maharaj felicitated at this do".Times of India. 25 February 2011.Retrieved3 November2015.
  12. ^abShobha Deepak Singh (2013).Dancescapes: A Photographic Journey.Roli Books.ISBN978-8174369611.
  13. ^"Positively negative".The Hindu.24 March 2013.Retrieved3 November2015.
  14. ^Shobha Deepak Singh (2014).Theatre Escapes: Experiencing Rasas.Kaveri Books.ISBN978-9383098347.
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