Shruti, a seasoned professional Kathak dancer, not only showcases her expertise through captivating performances but also imparts her profound knowledge and skills as a dedicated Kathak teacher.

Shruti Patki is a professional Kathak dancer from Pune, Maharashtra. She has been learning this classical art form for the last 25 years. Shruti has twelve years of experience teaching Kathak, with eight of those years dedicated to her independent teaching endeavors. She gives online as well as offline classes.

Looking back at her childhood, Shruti fondly reminisces about her deep passion for dance and her enchantment with ‘ghungroos’ from a young age. By the time she reached 8th grade, she had already discovered her aspiration to become a Kathak dancer. Despite balancing her studies, the sheer joy and fulfillment she experienced through dance were unparalleled. Shruti recalls devoting her time to sports, academics, and dance, cherishing precious moments shared with friends, while her parents provided unwavering support and encouragement, allowing her to pursue her interests wholeheartedly.

Shruti has done her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Legal Sciences. Alongside, she continued her dance practice and gave tuition to kids. Shruti later pursued her Master’s Degree in Kathak from Pune University and ‘Nritya Alankar’ from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai.

Discussing her challenges, Shruti says that after completing her tenth grade, she started her professional training in Kathak while pursuing her higher secondary education. She adds that it often became difficult for her to manage her studies and dance together, having especially opted for the science stream. She faced a similar problem during her graduation days; however, at that time, Shruti had already started assisting her teacher in conducting classes. She willingly gave up her social life to dedicate time to her passion for dance.

Embarking on her journey as a Kathak teacher, Shruti encountered the challenge of finding suitable spaces to conduct her class. When COVID hit the country, things became more difficult for her; however, she gave online classes to continue teaching dance and worked on growing her social media presence.

Speaking of her achievements, Shruti shares that she has students learning from her from six continents and twelve countries across the globe. She has participated in various dance competitions and won prizes at both the district and state levels. Shruti has been a recipient of the Late Pt. Lachhu Maharaj ji Award and also emerged as the winner of Mood Indigo, Asia’s biggest cultural festival, in the classical dance competition.

Shruti also earned a gold medal and was felicitated with the ‘Rabindra Puraskar’ for being an outstanding student at her college.

When asked about her mistakes, Shruti says that as a Kathak student, she was quite eager to learn something new without practising what she had already learned. Later, she realised that the process of learning needs to be undertaken step by step. Besides, as a Kathak teacher, Shruti feels she was extremely strict when she should have moulded her approach as per every student’s learning curve.

Talking about her role models, Shruti says she draws inspiration from her parents, both of whom are doctors. She admires them for their hard-working attitude. She also considers her guru, Pt. Rajendra Gangani, her role model. Her childhood role model is Rahul Dravid, whom she admires for his temperament and the way he managed his studies while pursuing his passion for cricket.

Her mantra lies in collaboration and learning, which, according to her, is a continuous process.

In her message to Kathak aspirants, Shruti says that they should avoid using shortcuts and remember that classical dance requires your time, effort, and patience. She adds that Kathak requires continuous practice, which has an emotional aspect attached to it that helps build one’s musical memory. Shruti says that youngsters should focus on learning rather than chasing fame and reality shows.

In her leisure time, Shruti indulges in meditation and performs breathing exercises. She uses affirmation techniques when stressed. Shruti wears her favourite pair of ghungroos and performs footwork, which serves as great relaxation for her.