Honouring a Kathak Icon
The Morning Standard
|November 18, 2025
Delhi prepares to honour Kathak legend Pandit Shambhu Maharaj with an evening of dance, music & memories at ‘Smriti 2025’
BORN Shambhu Nath Misra in Lucknow in 1907, Kathak maestro Pandit Shambhu Maharaj rose to become one of the most important figures in Indian classical dance, earning the Padma Shri in 1958 for his contribution to the art form.
The youngest son of Kalka Prasad Misra — the illustrious court dancer of Awadh’s Nawab Wajid Ali Shah — he furthered a legacy known for its refined expression, intricate footwork and abhinaya.
Between 1952-1954, on the invitation of Nirmala Joshi, an eminent art connoisseur, Shambhu Maharaj came to Delhi to introduce Kathak to the cultural capital of newly independent India. He became the head of the department of the newly formed Kathak Kendra, then part of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, which went on to become an independent institution in 1964.
This story is from the November 18, 2025 edition of The Morning Standard.
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