Shalakha Rai - Sam Goraya

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Dancer

Shalakha Rai

Odissi Dancer · Soloist · Performer · Teacher

Graceful, sensitive and deeply rooted in the classical tradition, Shalakha Rai is an accomplished Odissi dancer, soloist and teacher trained under Padma Shri Guru Madhavi Mudgal at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi.

With more than two decades devoted to Odissi, Shalakha has developed a distinctive artistic presence marked by grace, sensitivity, technical precision and a refined understanding of the form. She completed her Visharad Purna from the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai, and today performs extensively as a soloist while continuing to appear internationally as part of her guru’s ensemble.

Her career has taken her to major festivals, cultural institutions and international stages across India, Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South America.

Among her notable solo appearances are the 76th Republic Day celebrations in Poland (2025), CWD Festival at Natarani, Ahmedabad (2025), Valaya Festival, Delhi (2025), Chilanka Dance Festival, Thiruvananthapuram (2025), Laasya Utsava, Delhi (2024), Abhivyakti at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre - NMACC (2023), Natya Vriksha World Dance Day Festival (2023), a Double Bill Concert at India International Centre (2023), the Anandotsavam Festival in the United Kingdom, Arpan Festival in Melbourne, the Odissi Dance Festival in Auckland, the Festival of Indian Dance in New Zealand, the Raza Foundation’s Aarambh Festival, Navaneetham’s Nrithyathi Festival, ICCR’s Vividha Festival, and the Festival of Young Dancers and Musicians organised by the Sahitya Kala Parishad.

As part of Guru Madhavi Mudgal’s ensemble, Shalakha has appeared at some of the world’s distinguished arts festivals and venues, including Fall for Dance in New York, the Edinburgh Dance Festival, Darbar Festival in London, India en Concierto in Madrid, the XIII Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá, Hannover Messe, Les Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon, Festival International de Danse in Vaison-la-Romaine, the International Dance Festival in Aix-en-Provence, BOZAR in Belgium, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., and the National Heritage Museum in Lexington.

In India, her ensemble performances include the inauguration of Bharat Mandapam, Konark Dance Festival, Mukteswar Dance Festival, NCPA Mumbai, The Music Academy and the Khajuraho Dance Festival, among numerous other national platforms.

Her artistry has also been presented on significant ceremonial occasions before distinguished dignitaries including the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, former President of the United States Barack Obama, and former Presidents of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee and Smt. Pratibha Patil.

Shalakha is an empanelled artiste of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and an ‘A’ Grade artiste of Doordarshan. Her honours include the Akhil Bharatiya Pratibha Award (2018) presented by the Art & Cultural Trust of India, the K.N. Mulay Award (2021) and the Young Achievers’ Award (2024) for her contribution to Odissi dance. She has also been a recipient of the Sahitya Kala Parishad Scholarship.

Alongside her performing career, Shalakha is deeply committed to the transmission of Odissi. She teaches Odissi at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi, and performs regularly for SPIC MACAY, conducting workshops across India and introducing younger generations to Indian classical dance. Her teaching has also extended internationally through workshops in Australia and the United Kingdom.

A postgraduate in Political Science from the University of Delhi, Shalakha brings to her artistic practice a combination of rigorous classical training, intellectual depth and sustained engagement with the living tradition of Odissi.

Rooted in the artistic lineage imparted to her by Guru Madhavi Mudgal, Shalakha continues to evolve as a soloist, performer and teacher while carrying the discipline, sensitivity and aesthetic richness of Odissi to audiences across India and the world.

SELECTED SOLO & FEATURED PERFORMANCES

76th Republic Day Celebrations
Poland · 2025

CWD Festival - Natarani
Ahmedabad · 2025

Valaya Festival
Delhi · 2025

Chilanka Dance Festival
Thiruvananthapuram · 2025

Laasya Utsava
Delhi · 2024

Abhivyakti - Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC)
Mumbai · 2023

Natya Vriksha World Dance Day Festival
New Delhi · 2023

Double Bill Concert - India International Centre
New Delhi · 2023

Anandotsavam Festival
United Kingdom · 2017-2023

Raza Foundation - Aarambh Festival
2019

Arpan Festival
Melbourne, Australia · 2018

Odissi Dance Festival
Auckland, New Zealand · 2018

Festival of Indian Dance
New Zealand · 2018

Navaneetham - Nrithyathi Festival
2018

ICCR - Vividha Festival
New Delhi · 2017

Festival of Young Dancers & Musicians
Sahitya Kala Parishad, New Delhi · 2017

INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES

Shalakha has presented Odissi internationally both as a soloist and as part of Padma Shri Guru Madhavi Mudgal’s ensemble, appearing at major festivals, theatres and cultural institutions around the world.

UNITED STATES

Fall for Dance Festival
New York

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, D.C.

Shakespeare Theatre
Washington, D.C.

National Heritage Museum
Lexington

UNITED KINGDOM

Darbar Festival
London

Dance Festival
Edinburgh

Anandotsavam Festival
United Kingdom · 2017-2023

SPAIN

India en Concierto
Madrid

COLOMBIA

XIII Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá
Bogotá

FRANCE

Les Nuits de Fourvière
Lyon

Festival International de Danse
Vaison-la-Romaine

International Dance Festival
Aix-en-Provence

BELGIUM

BOZAR Festival
Belgium

GERMANY

Hannover Messe
Hanover

POLAND

76th Republic Day Celebrations
2025

AUSTRALIA

Arpan Festival
Melbourne · 2018

Shalakha has also conducted Odissi workshops in Australia.

NEW ZEALAND

Odissi Dance Festival
Auckland · 2018

Festival of Indian Dance
2018

SELECTED PERFORMANCES IN INDIA

Across India, Shalakha has appeared at leading classical dance festivals, national cultural institutions and ceremonial events, both as a soloist and as part of Guru Madhavi Mudgal’s ensemble.

CWD Festival - Natarani
Ahmedabad · 2025

Valaya Festival
Delhi · 2025

Chilanka Dance Festival
Thiruvananthapuram · 2025

Laasya Utsava
Delhi · 2024

Abhivyakti - NMACC
Mumbai · 2023

Natya Vriksha World Dance Day Festival
New Delhi · 2023

Double Bill Concert - India International Centre
New Delhi · 2023

Inauguration of Bharat Mandapam
New Delhi

Konark Dance Festival
Odisha

Mukteswar Dance Festival
Bhubaneswar

Khajuraho Dance Festival
Madhya Pradesh

The Music Academy Festival
Chennai

NCPA
Mumbai

Raza Foundation - Aarambh Festival
2019

Navaneetham - Nrithyathi Festival
2018

ICCR - Vividha Festival
New Delhi · 2017

Festival of Young Dancers & Musicians
Sahitya Kala Parishad, New Delhi · 2017

DISTINGUISHED CEREMONIAL PERFORMANCES

Throughout her career, Shalakha has had the distinction of performing on important national and cultural occasions before international leaders and dignitaries, including:

Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister of India

Barack Obama
Former President of the United States

Shri Pranab Mukherjee
Former President of India

Smt. Pratibha Patil
Former President of India

TEACHING & TRANSMISSION

Beyond performance, Shalakha is committed to carrying Odissi forward through teaching and cultural education.

She teaches Odissi at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi, where she shares the training and artistic principles received under Guru Madhavi Mudgal with a new generation of dancers.

She also performs regularly for SPIC MACAY, conducting workshops across India and introducing students to the technique, expression, history and aesthetic language of Indian classical dance.

Her teaching practice extends internationally, and she has conducted Odissi workshops in Australia and the United Kingdom.