Dr Shovana Narayan is the celebrated exponent of Kathak. She was awarded the prestigious Padmashri Award by the President of India in 1992, the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for 1999-2000 in 2001, Delhi Govt’s Parishad Samman 1993 and the Bihar Govt’s National Samman (Award) for 2018-19 in 2001. She is also the recipient of over 39 national and international awards, including Japan’s OISCA Award, Bihar Gaurav Award etc. She has been conferred D.Litt (HC), and holds two MPhil degrees (Defence & Strategic Studies and in Social Sciences), and a Master’s degree in Physics. She was also shortlisted for the Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Delhi, 1997. 

Shovana is multi-faceted and a pioneer as she has left and is leaving her indelible imprint as a performer, choreographer, guru, researcher, organiser and author. Her pristine and sparkling performances are steeped in classicism and tradition, yet they breathe fresh air of artistic innovations and social consciousness. She is also the author of 16 books and numerous articles, including for INTACH, UNESCO and other prestigious organisations. Her deep research has led to the discovery of 16 Kathak villages situated in eastern UP and Bihar. She has also made a film on the philosophical aspect of Khajuraho titled Dance of the Temples. 

Shovana is also a visiting lecturer to several universities and has given hundreds of lecture demonstrations and motivational workshops all over India and across the globe. She has guided research students for award of PhD degree in the field of dance. Shovana ’s disciples adorn the world of classical dance. As a dedicated guru, she lays stress on not only imparting correct techniques with keen in-depth knowledge of the shastras but also on the intangible spirit and ethos of Kathak in the true guru-shishya parampara. She is imparting free training to over 50 students of the underprivileged class for the last several decades and her choreography with 600 “specially abled “ students in the 6thAbilympics held in 2003 that won her international accolades, yet again showcased her sensitivity and pioneering works. An organizer too, she has also been holding two well-known annual festivals for the past several years. Charting new paths, she has relentlessly pursued two parallel exacting professional careers — as a civil servant (IAAS, 1976 batch) and a recognized Kathak dancer-guru, achieving distinction in both. Shovana’s Asavari group is credited with many path-breaking works that portray social issues sensitively.