Recognised as a fine classical artist, Krishnendu has always been passionate about dance. Having received the Nritya Nipuna Award 2021 from the Nalanda Dance Research Centre, he is also a graded artist with Prasar Bharati and Doordarshan and has performed on prestigious stages.

A disciple of Shrimati Sharmila Biswas, Krishnendu Saha is a talented Odissi dancer and performer. He is the Director of the Nrityormi School of Odissi. He conducts both offline and online dance classes and is currently also serving as a Classical Dance teacher at Crossroads International School in Udaipur.

Originally from Kolkata, and having grown up in the West Bengal town of Kalyani, Krishnendu now resides in Udaipur. His schooling was in Kalyani, and later he pursued his bachelor’s degree in Zoology Honours from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahara.

He shares that, in his school days, he didn't have a chance to get formal dance training. It wasn't until college that he began learning dance properly. When he was in second grade, his principal, impressed by his dance performance at an annual function, suggested his father enrol him in dance class. But, despite his father's efforts, they couldn't find a suitable class. Fortunately, a Geography teacher trained in Kathak briefly taught him for three months. However, after she left the school, he shifted to drawing classes until his tenth grade.

He enjoyed drawing, and never thought of resuming formal dance training until later. After moving to a different school in fifth grade, he regularly participated in talent hunts, impressing judges with his self-choreographed dances. Thereafter, he focused on academics in his last two years of school.

It was in his second year of college, when he got captivated by watching an Odissi dance performance and began training under an Odissi artist. Since 2012, Odissi has been his passion, profession, and livelihood.

When asked about his role models, Krishnendu says he looks up to his father for his supportive nature despite financial constraints. His father's encouragement and assistance, even accompanying him to competitions, were invaluable. His dance guru, Shrimati Sharmila Biswas, also inspires him with her dedication to dance.

Sharing his struggles, Krishnendu says that,  coming from a middle-class family, he had to face many financial constraints. Despite his interest, he initially couldn't afford dance class as he was already investing in drawing lessons. He recognised his family's financial situation and began tutoring to support himself. He even paid for his drawing classes with his earnings.

When Krishnendu shared his story with his first guru, she generously offered to teach him for free. Despite lacking a classical dance background, he swiftly grasped the basics and soon delved into training with traditional instruments. He also volunteered to teach dance to inmates at the Presidency Correctional Home, enriching his journey with meaningful experiences.

Despite financial struggles, Krishnendu persisted, travelling long distances to attend his dance class, often enduring hunger and fatigue. However, after completing college, he faced a dilemma: whether to pursue dance professionally or continue with his higher education.

His dedication paid off when he earned his first salary through dance, which he proudly gave to his father. Although he was also doing projects to train inmates, he somehow felt that he was lacking as an Odissi dancer and could not see himself performing on stage as a professional classical dancer, which he always wanted.

So, Krishnendu sought further growth under the guidance of his current guru, Shrimati Sharmila Biswas. This decision opened doors to various performances and accolades. He performed for the first time in 2016 with her guru on stage as a part of her troop. He got the opportunity to do a duet performance at the India International Centre through her guru. He got the chance to choreograph for a Republic Day Camp in New Delhi as a choreographer for the West Bengal directorate. He also received an appreciation certificate from the NCC department in India. He choreographed two dances; one was selected to be performed in the Raisina Hall event in the Rashtrapati Bhawan in 2016, which was a big achievement for him.

When he came back, his dance guru offered him to teach at a dance school in Purulia with a good salary under her supervision, where he had to visit twice a week and train the rest of the days in her dance institute. He was travelling from Kalyani to Purulia, which was extremely tiring for him and was also affecting his dance training, so his guru allowed him to stay at her dance institute. Staying in their gurukul and witnessing the schedule of her guru made him more disciplined and dedicated to dance. In 2018, he shifted to his rented house, and his training continued.

Krishnendu shares that, unfortunately, he lost his father in 2017, but he feels that it was the blessing of his father that so many opportunities came rushing towards him where he performed as a soloist as well as with her guru in big festivals like Konark Dance Festival, Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav, Delhi IIC, Natarani Amphitheatre in Ahmedabad, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Manipur, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, and many others. He performed in front of PM Narendra Modi and the governor of West Bengal, which was highly appreciated by the prime minister in 2020. In the same year, he performed at Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation in the Yaksha festival.

He shares that Sadhguru was so moved by his troupe’s performance that he started crying and offered every member of his troupe a Prasadi flower from the Shiva Murti. He still remembers when Sadhguru hugged him while he was crying, which also brought him to tears. In 2020, he again performed in front of PM Modi at the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. In 2022, he performed with his own troupe the Raj Bhawan in Mount Abu in front of the Governor of Rajasthan, Kalraj Mishra.

After that performance in 2022, he decided to permanently shift to Udaipur. He started organising some workshops in the Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal so people would know him. He did performances in the 60th Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Samaroh, Udaipur Tales, Haldi Mahotsava, and in festivals organised by the West Zone Cultural Centre. He started teaching at his institute and also did performances with his intermediate batch. Since COVID, he has been teaching online and teaches students nationally and internationally. For the last two years, he has been working at Crossroads International School, Udaipur, as a classical dance faculty member.

The quote, “I am good, I intend good, and I do good,” motivates him a lot. Embracing a spiritual journey since 2020, Krishnendu finds inspiration in the teachings of Sadhguru and emphasises the importance of self-belief and inner transformation. He also meditates regularly. He says that if you believe in yourself and put your best into what you do, success will be yours.

Offering guidance to aspiring classical artists, he underscores the virtues of consistency, patience, and dedication, essential for mastering any classical art form. And for those who want to professionally pursue it, they must follow the formula of the 3Ds, i.e. Discipline, Determination, and Dedication. Without these three 3Ds, nothing is possible in any field, whether academics, business, or classical art. He stresses that a dancer must first understand their body, know their flexibility and agility, have a rhythmic sense, and have a natural grace. He urges dancers to evolve with their art.

He urges the youth to view classical dance not as a means of social validation but as a spiritual path, encouraging respect for Indian culture and inner growth. He advises utilising social media positively for networking and emphasises the importance of intrinsic motivation over external validation.

Ultimately, he advocates for cultivating inner goodness by becoming a good human being first, believing it brings forth a more beautiful world.