Anannya Mahanta is a renowned Sattriya classical dancer from Assam, dedicated to promoting and preserving the art form globally. She is a recipient of the prestigious Vrindrani Award 2024 and holds a senior scholarship under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Anannya Mahanta is a seasoned Sattriya dance practitioner from Guwahati, Assam as well as the former founder of the Nrityangahara Institute and has been deeply involved in the practice and promotion of this classical dance form. She has 25 years of experience in the field of dancing.

She characterizes Sattriya as a distinctive art form that uniquely blends classical and folk elements, firmly rooted in Assam's cultural heritage. With profound dedication to this tradition, she remains steadfastly committed to its performance, promotion, and dissemination to global audiences.

She recently co-founded the organization Nrityanghara along with her fellow dancers. However, due to personal reasons and her upcoming relocation to another country, she had to step away from the initiative. Reflecting on her experience with the organization, she notes that Nrityanghara curated a range of impactful events and conducted numerous workshops, including lecture-demonstration sessions. These efforts were primarily directed towards underprivileged children, offering them a rare opportunity to learn about and engage with the Sattriya dance form.

The organization also hosted events where artists were invited to showcase their art forms without any charges or performance fees. Anannya emphasizes that while many platforms across the country operate on a pay-to-perform model, Nrityanghara offers opportunities purely on the basis of merit. The organization was committed to providing the right platform to deserving talent. She was actively associated with Nrityanghara for the past four years; however, due to recent changes in her personal life over the last two months, she is no longer connected with the organization.

While she is no longer affiliated with the organization, she has established ambitious professional objectives and is actively developing new initiatives in her country of relocation. Regardless of where life takes her, she remains firmly committed to promoting the Sattriya classical dance form in every possible way. Her mission is to raise awareness about this rich and beautiful art form across diverse regions and cultures, encouraging people to recognize and appreciate its uniqueness. She passionately states that if it requires working day and night to achieve this, she is fully prepared to do so.

She shares that while her current schedule is quite busy, she continues to take classes and teach students, but not on a regular basis. However, her passion for sharing the art form remains unwavering, and she still organizes workshops whenever possible. Additionally, she is actively involved with the Free Birds community, where she conducts and organizes sessions from time to time.

Reflecting on her life with Sattriya dance, Anannya shares that she began learning dance at the tender age of three. However, it was not the classical form of Sattriya at the time. Her introduction was through creative dance, guided by her mother, who was initially hesitant to enroll her in classical training. Her mother feared that if Anannya found the classical form too challenging, she might lose interest and give it up altogether. Deeply wishing for her daughter to embrace dance wholeheartedly, she chose to expose Anannya to different dance styles first, gradually nurturing her love for the art form.

She highlights that she has participated in numerous competitions and has also won several cash prizes. She has performed interpretations of regional and Assamese musical compositions, characterizing that period as one of artistic diversity and professional growth. During this time, she maintained a consistent presence across various performance venues, persistently pursuing excellence and recognition in her field. Anannya's formal introduction to Sattriya dance occurred at age five through parental guidance. Initially, she found it difficult to grasp its essence. However, with time, she began to understand its depth, including the purpose and spiritual significance behind Sattriya. It was then that she truly connected with the divine energy that the dance embodies. Now, whenever she performs, she feels as though she is surrendering herself to that universal force.

Anannya Mahanta reflects that her life in dance has been incredibly beautiful, despite facing certain setbacks and challenges along the way. She has always held onto the mantra of never giving up and staying consistent. While there may have been moments where she took short breaks from her dance practice, she emphasizes that she has never stopped and never will. This unwavering commitment has been her guiding principle— to embrace both herself and her life through the art of dance.

Folk Sattriya dancer Anannya Mahanta highlights her various achievements, including her recent win of the Vrindrani Award in 2024, hosted by Lasya. This prestigious award recognizes excellence in classical dance, and Anannya had the honor of performing in Chennai for both the contest and the award ceremony. She shares that the Vrindrani Award is the only one exclusively given to Indian classical dancers for their significant contributions to the field, and she is proud to be the recipient as a Sattriya classical dancer. In addition to this, she has also won the Star Fashion Award and received two scholarships. She is a senior scholarship holder under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Furthermore, Anannya is recognized as a graded artist by Doordarshan Kendra in Guwahati.

Throughout her distinguished career, she has garnered multiple accolades and distinctions, competing alongside practitioners of various classical dance traditions. She has traversed India to present the Sattriya dance form across diverse venues. However, she modestly acknowledges that her journey transcends mere achievements. Her primary focus remains maintaining an optimistic perspective and cultivating positivity in her life. She firmly believes that periods of apparent inactivity—sometimes spanning two to three months—invariably precede significant developments that compensate for these quieter intervals. This hopeful perspective has been a guiding force, as she firmly believes that staying dedicated to what you're passionate about will always lead to greater opportunities.

Anannya Mahanta pursued her education in Assam, specializing in Physics with a focus on Astrophysics, which stands in contrast to her passion for Sattriya dance. She often faced questions from people asking why she chose Physics and then why she followed a path in dance. In response, Anannya explains that she has always been a bright student, with a deep inclination toward science and space, which inspired her to choose Physics as her field of study. Despite her academic focus, she acknowledges the challenges she faced, particularly when it came to balancing her academic commitments with her passion for dance. At times, she struggled to dedicate the time she wanted to her dancing, but her love for the art form always kept her connected to it.

During a significant phase of her life, Anannya Mahanta found herself deeply immersed in her studies in Astrophysics, which left her with little time to pursue her true passion for dance. This created a sense of frustration, as she had always aimed to strike a balance between her academic pursuits and artistic endeavors. However, despite these challenges, she successfully completed her Master's degree with exceptional grades. It was during this time that Anannya came to a realization—her heart was in dance, not in higher studies in Astrophysics. This turning point led her to shift her focus entirely towards her passion, eventually inspiring her to establish her own organization, Nritanghara, dedicated to promoting Sattriya dance.

Professional dancer Anannya Mahanta shares that, in terms of all other aspects of life, everything has always flowed naturally for her. She emphasizes the importance of enjoying the peace of life and staying true to what she loves. According to Anannya, things have always fallen into place in the best possible way. While she holds a Master's degree in Physics, her heart remains fully dedicated to the Sattriya dance form, a passion that continues to guide her path forward.

Speaking about her role model, Sattriya classical dancer Anannya Mahanta mentions Rukmini Vijayakumar, a renowned Bharatanatyam dancer as per her inspiration. Anannya describes Rukmini as a pure and creative soul, an internationally acclaimed dancer who has gained fame across the world. Although Anannya has not met Rukmini in person, she admires her deeply. Rukmini's influence extends to social media, where her dance videos go viral, and she is also an Instagram influencer. Anannya highlights that Rukmini's ability to create and embrace art resonates with every dancer, as it allows them to connect with her work. For Anannya, a dancer should have the freedom to create and perform art in a way that conveys a meaningful message to the audience, something Rukmini excels at. Anannya finds Rukmini incredible, draws inspiration from her, and holds a deep admiration for her work.

Discussing inspirational lines, Anannya Mahanta shares a powerful excerpt from a poem recited by Amitabh Bachchan: “तू खुद की खोज में निकल, तू किस लिए हताश है, तू चल तेरे वजूद की समय को भी तलाश है.” While the full poem holds deep meaning, she highlights this particular part as it resonates with her. Anannya explains that whenever she feels low, she listens to this poem on a loop as it inspires her immensely. She elaborates on the message of the poem, saying that even in the darkest moments, there is always a ray of light or hope that can guide us forward. She believes that every problem has a solution, and the poem reminds her to keep moving forward, no matter the circumstances.

Esteemed Sattriya exponent Anannya Mahanta, currently 28, reflects upon the maturation of her artistic philosophy. She observes that any counsel she might have offered to emerging practitioners as a seven-year-old would have fundamentally differed from her present guidance, lacking the profound understanding she has since cultivated. Through rigorous devotion to Sattriya traditions, she has attained comprehensive insight into the dance form's intrinsic value, its capacity to provide intellectual and spiritual sanctuary, and the methodical framework it offers for discerning artistic choices aligned with her authentic practice.

If someone asked to share a message after 10 years for the younger generation, Anannya acknowledges that her answer might be different, but there would still be one common thread: consistency and persistence. She emphasizes the importance of staying committed to one’s path and goal, no matter the challenges.

Anannya also shares her personal experience, noting that she did not have a godfather or a guide in the dance world, as she doesn’t come from a cultural background. Her parents are government employees, and she acknowledges that building a name in the classical dance field seemed like a monumental task. Despite this, every day has been a struggle and hustle. She maintains confidence in her capabilities, with a clear vision of what she wants to achieve in life. Her attitude toward hard work has always been one of consistency, and she holds onto the positive mantra that, although the reward may not be immediate, the effort will eventually pay off in the future.

Anannya Mahanta advises, "Take your journey slow; it is not necessary to move fast. We don't want to be in the spotlight for just one moment and then vanish for the next few years." She emphasizes the importance of consistency, believing that staying focused and committed will eventually lead to accomplishments and rewards. For her, life is not about rushing but about maintaining steady progress and building something meaningful over time.

She stresses the importance of patience, particularly in the current age of social media, where instant fame is often sought after. She observes that many young people today expect quick results and lack the patience needed for long-term success. Reflecting on her own career, she admits that even she struggled with patience in the beginning. However, she highlights that classical dance is an art form that demands years of dedication, discipline, and hard work. To truly excel, one must practice with patience and commitment, embracing Sadhana—the continuous process of honing one’s skills. Her advice to the younger generation is clear: "Be patient, stay consistent, and success will follow, both in life and in this field."

Anannya Mahanta reflects deeply on her loss, sharing that if she had a time machine, she would revisit the precious moments spent with her mother. She lost her mother during the Covid-19 pandemic, though not due to the pandemic itself but due to other health complications. She reveals that her mother played a pivotal role in introducing her to the world of Sattriya dance, a bond that is very dear to her heart. Anannya expresses that she misses her mother the most when she dances, as it was her mother’s belief in her that laid the foundation for her career.

If given the chance to travel back in time, Anannya would tell her mother, "You don’t have much time left on this planet, so let’s just relive and enjoy the time we have." Her mother often worried about her future, wondering how she would fare in the dance world, but Anannya took solace in the fact that she was able to host her first government-funded program, even though it came after her mother’s passing.

While Anannya acknowledges that the milestones her mother wished for her to achieve only came after her mother's death, she is confident that, with her mother's blessings, she will continue to achieve her dreams. The love and lessons her mother imparted to her will forever remain a guiding force in her life and dance career.