Pradip Chaliha
Born in 1919 in Jorhat, Assam, Shri Pradeep Chaliha received training in the Sattriya dance at different satras of Assam.Among his gurus were Sarva- shri Umanath Gayan, Jibeswar Goswami, Mitradev Mahanta and Indreswar Borthakur. Shri Chaliha made a mark as a dancer early in life and performed extensively in various parts of the country. He then dedicated himself to research in the dance and music traditions of the satras. He focussed attention especially on Vyasa Ojapali and also learnt Ankia Bhaona. He studied Nandikeshwara's Abhinaya Darpana and translated the work into Assamese. In 1951, Shri Chaliha set up the Ajanta Kala Mandal at Golaghat for the teaching and propagation of Sattriya dance. He has trained a large number of students at this institution. Shri Pradeep Chaliha is also known for his research on the fine arts of Assam and other aspects of Assamese culture. He has four books to his credit, and a number of scholarly articles. For his service to the arts, he has been conferred an honorary D. Litt. by Dibrugarh University. Shri Pradeep Chaliha receives the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to the Sattriya dance tradition of Assam.