With dedication and by overcoming societal objections, Chetan pursued his passion for dance, becoming an inspiration to others through his remarkable journey of thirty-five years.

Chetan Venilal Saraiya, a Kathak dancer from Mumbai, has been working in the field of dance for the past thirty-five years.

Chetan shares that he grew up in a Gujarati family where most people expected him to do business. But he discovered his love for dance during his childhood. His parents were really understanding and supported his decision to pursue a career in dance, even though it wasn't the usual choice for someone from their community.

Talking about how his interest grew in the field of dance, Chetan says that as a child he enjoyed dancing to Bollywood songs. Growing up, he got Inspired by performances of renowned dancers like Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, and Sridevi on television, and this way he grew interest in classical dance.

Chetan says that he began his training under Ashalata Parkar and later had the privilege of learning from Asha Joglekar, the mother of Archana Joglekar, who greatly influenced him.

Chetan shares that he faced financial constraints and challenges as people didn't always respect his choice to pursue dance being a male. To manage expenses, he conducted classical and semi-classical dance classes. Chetan says that he holds Nritya-Visharad and Nritya-Alankar degrees from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and pursued an MA degree from Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University while working full-time. He says that he has struggled a lot in life, that’s why he has named his academy as ‘Nritya Tapasya Kathak Dance Academy’.

Chetan says that his biggest achievement is being able to view Kathak as a spiritual process.

Chetan is inspired by actresses like Sridevi and considers Archana Joglekar and Asha Joglekar as his role models.

Chetal shares that under Asha Joglekar's guidance, he performed in India and abroad, earning awards like the Bhushan Ratna etc. He also got the chance to meet renowned Indian dancers because of Asha Joglekar.

Chetan's life mantra revolves around dedication, a clear mind, hard work, and maintaining a positive attitude. He advises aspiring dancers to focus on pure Kathak without mixing other dance forms.