Mangaluru: Renowned dance guru Kamala Bhat passes away at 70

Team Udayavani, Dec 18, 2024, 9:17 AM IST

Mangaluru: Eminent dance guru and Karnataka Kalashree awardee Kamala Bhat (70) passed away on Tuesday, December 17 night.

Kamala Bhat was the director of the Natyalaya Urva institution, which she nurtured and developed for over 45 years. She was a recipient of numerous accolades, including the Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy’s Karnataka Kalashree award, the Dakshina Kannada District Rajyotsava Award, and honors from the Pejawar Math of Udupi, among others.

A celebrated Bharatanatyam teacher and performer, Kamala Bhat gained recognition at both national and international levels. She trained countless students, many of whom have become prominent dance instructors themselves. Notable among her disciples are Prathima Sridhar and Soumya Sudhindra in Dakshina Kannada, and Saritha Kottari in Bengaluru.

A protégé of Guru Ullal Mohan Kumar, Kamala Bhat performed extensively, staging thousands of dance programs on prestigious platforms across the state.