A Kathak dancer and guru, Chandrakala is dedicated to instilling respect for Indian culture and tradition in her students through her dance.

Chandrakala Choudhary is the founder of the Kathak Ashram in Udaipur. She has been running her institute for the past fifteen years.

Describing her journey, Chandrakala says that she has been promoting Indian culture by teaching Kathak. She says that in the wake of the blind attraction towards western culture, art is the only medium that will reconnect the youth with their roots. She started her Kathak Ashram with only three children, and today she is teaching Kathak to around 150 children every month. She claims till now, she has given Kathak training to about 10,000 children.

Chandrakala was born and brought up in Udaipur. Her entire education was also completed in Udaipur. She has an MA from M.G. College, Udaipur. After the birth of her son, she learned amateur Kathak, which has now become her profession and passion instead of her hobby.

Recalling her struggle, Chandrakala says that she had learned Kathak only as a hobby, but the circumstances of life were such that she had to make her hobby her profession. After the sudden death of her husband, she decided to teach Kathak to fulfill the responsibilities of her family.

When asked about her achievements, Chandrakala states that she has received numerous national and international awards, including the Priya Prabodhak Award, the 100 Inspiring Women Award, and many others. She has traveled with her students to nine different countries for Kathak performances. In addition, she recently organized an international dance festival in which 600 participants from various countries, including India, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and Malaysia, showcased their talent. She is very proud that she was able to organize such a large international festival in her city and provide such a large platform for her students.

Describing her COVID experience, Chandrakal says that the pandemic made her go through a very trying time. She says the pandemic abruptly closed down her institute, which was her only source of income as an artist. Despite this, she faced this difficult time with courage, but she is most saddened by the fact that people nowadays do not have the desire to help others.

Chandrakala would like to give a piece of advice to the youth,  that they should always adopt their Indian culture. She says that after performing in foreign countries, when people came to her and showed eagerness to know about Kathak dance and India, she realized that we are part of such a wonderful country and culture, which we do not fully appreciate.

When asked which is more important in life—education or experience, Chandrakala says experience is crucial. She thinks that after receiving education, experience tests our knowledge and determines whether we received it properly or not. She believes experience shapes a career along with education.

If she gets a chance to go back in time through a time machine, Chandrakala would like to relive her childhood. She says that she had lived a very wonderful childhood, which today's kids might not be able to experience. She would like to relive those moments when she used to enjoy playing in the fields, climbing trees, and playing many old games in the open field without any worries at her Nani's place in the village.

Chandrakala would like to advise those newcomers who wish to pursue a career in the field of art that they may select from any of the three art forms—dance, music, or singing. According to our Indian culture, those who want to pursue careers in these fields should pursue a classical music education because it will provide them with a strong foundation.