A talented dancer, Dr. Monisha started dancing at the age of six and founded a dance academy when she was just 18 years old. Her hard work has been recognized with awards like the Kalaimamani Award but for her, the real victory is sharing her love of dance with others.

Dr. Monisha Devi Goswami, a dancer and founder of the Nupur Cultural Academy, hails from Guwahati, Assam. Her passion for dance began at the tender age of six.

Dr. Monisha's journey as a dance teacher wasn't initially planned. At 18, after witnessing the encouragement she received to share her knowledge, she established the Nupur Cultural Academy in 1993. Starting with just 20 students, her dedication has grown the academy to encompass eight branches. Her passion extends beyond borders, with online classes catering to international students.

Alongside nurturing young dancers, Dr. Monisha relentlessly pursued her own education. She balanced her responsibilities at the academy with earning an honors degree in History, followed by an LLB, a Master's Degree in History, and finally a PhD. Notably, she also holds an MA in Bharatanatyam, solidifying her expertise in the art form.

Among her numerous achievements, Dr. Monisha holds the successful running of her academy as her greatest accomplishment. Her dedication has been recognized through prestigious awards like the Devadasi National Award, Sangeet Saraswati Samman, Kalaimamani Award, Kala Ratna Award, Nritya Gandharva Samman, and Nritya Acharya Samman. Interestingly, the Kalaimamani Award and Sangeet Saraswati Samman acknowledge her mastery in Sattriya dance, while the others celebrate her expertise in Bharatanatyam.

Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Monisha humbly acknowledges there might have been minor missteps, though none of major consequence.

Her inspiration stems from her parents, who instilled in her the value of punctuality and completing tasks on time. Additionally, she draws immense inspiration from her teachers, Jatin Goswami, her dance teacher and Dipankar Banerjee, her college teacher, crediting them for shaping her values of simplicity and proper conduct.

When not captivating audiences with her dance, Dr. Monisha enjoys singing, playing the ‘mridangam’ (a percussion instrument), and indulging in art and crafts.

In her message for aspiring dancers, she emphasizes the importance of integrating dance into one's daily routine before considering it as a career choice.  Furthermore, she believes that in-person learning has a greater impact on skill development compared to online platforms.

Dr. Monisha's success mantra is a powerful combination of time management, discipline, and simplicity.