In conversation with Sonal Mansingh

yoshika

Yoshika Sangal | February 17, 2016




Eminent Odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh is also proficient in other dancing styles like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Chhau. Besides, she is a well known choreographer and social activist. Her dancing career began in Mumbai in 1962. Over the years she won international recognition and was conferred with many awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), Padma Bhushan (1992) and Padma Vibhushan (2003). In 1977, she founded the Centre for Indian Classical Dances in Delhi. To mark the completion of her 40 years in dancing in 2001, filmmaker Prakash Jha made a documentary film on her titled Sonal, which won the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film for the year.


The person I admire the most: My paternal grandfather Shri Mangaldas Pakvasa. He was a liberal Gandhian and had great respect for women

One thing that drove me closer to dance: Unfulfilled karma from previous life

If I were not a dancer I would be: A clown? Ha ha ha...

Happiness to me is: To be able to laugh at myself

My favourite production: Draupadi

I take care of my health by: Drinking plenty of water

The high point in my life: Yet to come

The low point in my life: Countless

My idea of comfort food: Chocolates

Something my fans don’t know about me: My love for wit and humour

My advice to aspiring dancers: Be rooted

I want to be remembered as: Sonal the Dancing Mansingh



As told to Yoshika Sangal

Comments

 

Other News

UPI completes 10 years of digital payments revolution

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), launched on August 25, 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory oversight of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has completed 10 years of transforming digital payments in India. UPI has emerged as the backbone of India’s digi

Here’s an I.D.E.A. for career growth and success

Success in today’s professional organisation is no longer solely determined by academic qualifications, technical expertise or years of experience. While these attributes do matter, organisations increasingly value individuals who demonstrate the right mindset and behavioural qualities. The ability

PM interacts with CEOs, founders of space startups

Prime minister Narendra Modi interacted with CEOs and Founders of 20 Space Startups at Seva Teerth on Friday.   CEOs of leading companies in the space sector working in diverse fields ranging from building rockets and reusable semi-cryogenic launch vehicles, avionics, satelli

From one cow to a dairy business

In 2012, Anita Dash wasn`t dreaming of building a dairy brand. She wasn`t studying business models or planning market expansion. Like countless mothers across India, her focus was on something much simpler: giving her children a better future.   At the time, her most valuable

Ethanol blending: The two sides of a story

India`s crude oil consumption is estimated to be around 88.5% imported from abroad. This one single figure is also responsible for why ethanol has become both an economic strategy and fuel policy at the same time. In an economy like India, which depends so heavily on foreign oil, any increase in internat

Food inflation: Not a macroeconomic statistic but a developmental indicator

India`s retail inflation shows a reassuring picture at first glance. According to the latest data, Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation edged up to 4.38% in June 2026 from 3.93% in May 2026, but continued to remain within the Reserve Bank of India`s (RBI) target band of 4% (+/- 2%). However, beneath this

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter