TEAM

Guru Sri Bichitrananda Swain
Founder & Executive Trustee

Guru Bichitrananda Swain has achieved worldwide recognition as an outstanding performer, a brilliant choreographer, and an exceptional teacher, who has earned the distinction of generating remarkable talents year after year. Widely acclaimed as one of today’s prominent choreographers of Odissi, he is known for his distinctive body of work that echoes his knowledge and understanding of dance as a medium of expression. His compositions are energetic, thought-provoking and inspiring. He is acknowledged by critics, connoisseurs, gurus (senior and contemporary alike), and dancers (peers as well as others) for having unleashed a wave of renewed dynamism in the presentation of Odissi.

Guru Swain has been, for over two decades, creating outstanding dancers through a holistic approach to dance that includes developing body discipline (through yoga and pranayama), allowing for creativity (through theoretical and practical training), and enhancing sensitivity (through appreciation of aesthetics). His dance institution, Rudrakshya Foundation (established in 2001), has emerged as one of the most successful training centers for aspiring dancers from India and abroad. Some of his students who lack the financial means to pursue dance as a profession are provided with free education, food, and lodging for as long as they wish to be in his gurukul-like institution.

Guru Bichitrananda Swain and his students have performed in major cities of South Africa, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, the United States, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, and South Korea. Besides, he has conducted various workshops in most of these countries, apart from those in India.

Sri Rohita Pradhan
Secretary 

Rohita provides the stoic anchor to Rudrakshya Foundation. He is the managing director and administrator of Rudrakshya Foundation. Other than handling all the desk work of Rudrakshya, he is a trained and promising Mrudanga player who started learning at the tender age of 09 in his village under the guidance of Guru Sri Souri Bisoi.

He started learning Mardal at the age of fifteen in Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Bhubaneswar. He has completed a Master of Philosophy in Mardal. He is a well-known musician among the youngsters in the field of Odissi Mrudanga (Kholo).

Then he successfully completed M.Phil degree under the guidance of various Gurus of international repute. Within a short period of time Rohita was able to carve beautiful niche for him. His performance in various prestigious festivals across the country mesmerized the audience.

He has played Mardal and Mrudanga in various places such as Andhra University Campus, Krishna Gana Sabha, Guru Gopal Chandra Panda Odissi Foundation, 9th Toshali National Mahotsav, Golden Jubilee, Konark dance and music festival, Muktesear Dance Festival, International Dance Festival etc.

Mr. Ramprasad Akkisetti
President

Ramprasad Akkisetti is the Founding Managing Director of Christopher Charles Benninger Architects in Pune that was established in 1995. He has been in the creative space for the past 25 years leading one of India’s premier architectural firms promoting South Asia’s cultural milieu. He has made India House into a cultural hub of creative thinking, debate and sharing avant-garde ideas.

With academic backgrounds in medicine, psychology and anthropology, Ramprasad has carved out a space for himself in art and architecture through his writings and photographs. He authored 'Psychology for Beginners’ (1997) during his teaching positions at Fergusson College in late 1990’s. He co-edited, and designed ‘Architecture for Modern India,’ a monograph, published by Skira-Rizzoli in Milan and New York in 2016. He is also the publisher for ‘Letters to a Young Architect,’ which found its place amongst the top ten best- selling non-fiction books in India, when it was released in 2011, with subsequent translations into Chinese, Guajarati, and Bangla. Marathi and Hindi translations of this book are currently being pursued.

For many large-scale projects in the firm, like IIT Hyderabad, IIM Kolkata, Azim Premji University, Bajaj Institute of Technology and several projects of the firm, he mentors young team of architects. As a connecting link in the practise of Prof. Christopher Benninger he plays a vital role in filling the gaps between design and business while creating a work force that is tuned to design thinking of the highest order in the country.

Ramprasad is a self-taught artist who pursues art as a hobby. He does very large-scale canvases and installations when commissioned by important corporate houses. He is known for his painting on ‘Banaras’, the world’s largest miniature painting spreading across 10 feet x 5 feet and ‘Kumbhakarna’ both housed at India House, ‘Paradise’ a painting on Mumbai placed at Lodha World One, Mumbai and installation ‘ConneXions’ to be housed at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru.

He also hosts the only annual Film Festival on Architecture and Urbanism in Pune, India, showing some of the most important films on architecture and urbanism.

Dr. Priyadarsini Rath
Vice-President 

Dr. Priyadarshini Rath, the trustee and managing director of most renowned institutions Petals international school in Phulnakhra cuttack and Petals Public school , Bhubaneswar. She has been working towards connecting young mind to strive success and achievement. Certainly today she has achieved much more than she had dreamt ,starting a play school in 2BHK and owning three branches now , needs lots of hardwork And selfless service to society. She has moulded the life of students and served people with kindness.

She is known for her wonderful administration and high achievement for the institution .Such as receiving awards from the business global awards in the category of Best emerging schools in Odisa In 2018 ,bagged the award for dynamic entrepreneur of the year 2021 , has also received Doctorate award from world human right protection organisation.

Not only in the field of education she has excelled but she also runs her own Non profit organisation -Sanket foundation. Which have helped many people to which their education, health and livelihood.

Mr. Dushasan Saho
Member 

Dushasan started Gotipua Dance at the age of 10 under the guidance of Guru Sri Lingaraj Barik in his native. He is a dedicated dancer for today’s generation. Now he is continuing Odissi dance under the guidance of Guru Sri Bichitrananda Swain.

He has performed extensively in national and international dance festivals such as Nidhsagandhi Dance Festival in Kerala, Yuva Prativa Dance Festival in Aasam, Konark Dance Festival Konark, International Dance Festival Bhubaneswar, Odisha Parva.