An Odissi dance recital by Akankshya Padhi, firmly rooted in the traditional Odissi repertoire, presents the exquisite choreographies of Guru Madhavi Mudgal and Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Her performance is a celebration of Odissi dance and a reflection on its journey since its revival. A disciple of Padmashri Guru Madhavi Mudgal since 2010, Akankshya has trained at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Delhi, advancing her practice to a professional level under her guru’s guidance. As part of her Guru’s critically acclaimed ensemble, Akankshya has performed at leading festivals and venues across India, including the Serendipity Arts Festival, Konark Festival, International Odissi Dance Festival, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA Mumbai), and Natarani Theatre, Ahmedabad. She is a graded artiste of Doordarshan and has completed the Madhyama Purna (Diploma equivalent) in Odissi with distinction from the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai.
Alongside performances with the ensemble, Akankshya continues to pursue her individual artistic journey as a soloist. She has performed solo at the Margazhi Festival at Medai, The Stage in Bengaluru, as part of Pradosham, a temple dance performance series curated by Nirvikalpa in Chennai, and presented her first solo with live orchestra at the Friends of Oddbird Festival in Delhi at the Oddbird Theatre, where she also premiered a new choreographic work. In London, Akankshya is pursuing a Master’s degree in Design for Visual Communication at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, expanding her creative practice in the field of graphic media design.