PADMA KHANNA ! Does she need an introduction? - NO !! Yet it is our privilege to tell you few things about her. We recollect a dialogue PADMA enacted in ‘RAMAYAN' And in the field of classical dance - KATHAK (one of the most glorified, cultural and classical dances of Northern India) - Padma today is one and the only.
 
When we talk of KATHAK DANCE or any other classical dance of India, we correlate the SHASTRIC and the oral traditions preserved in SAMPRADYAS (the sub schools of oral traditions within dance styles) and GHARANAS. It is no longer a matter of doubt that Indian Classical dance had enormous impact upon all other arts of India, from sculpture to literature. Apart from the overwhelming sculptural evidence, there is a mass of other material, dating from 2nd Century B.C. And continuing up to the 19th Century and of the present era. This formulates the relationship between the dance and its sister arts. India's pre-history and proto-history also provide sufficient evidence of this fact. There are beautiful metaphors and similes in the VEDAS based on the art of dance.
 
KATHAK DANCE has developed into a spectacular dance form, charged with lightning movements, emphasizing pirouettes (CHAKKARS) and footwork, while keeping its expressive quality. The form of KATHAK performance depends on the dancer, who works in close collaboration with the TABLA player and the singer. The approach to KATHAK DANCE style, which has been considered inimitable and unchangeable, leads to some fresh insight into the cultural history and milieu of India. This classical style may get transformed into something new, something modern and add a new chapter in the cultural history of the World. That is why, i! seems, the Almighty has destined MS. PADMA KHANNA to migrate from India to United State of America.Since the age of 7, PADMA has been learning and performing KATHAK on stage. Her mother once revealed that in her deep sleep PADMA'S feet used to tap and keep moving in dance rhythm.
 
She learnt Advanced KATHAK DANCE from Padmashri Gopi Krishna, whose talent of KATHAK is acclaimed and appreciated like Pundit Ravi Shankar's in Sitar. In late sixties, when PADMA came from the cultural city ­VARANASI - to Bombay she was welcomed with open arms by Indian Movie Industry. For more than one decade, she was known as "Dancing Queen Of Indian Cinema". She acted in more than 400 movies in all languages of India. Few to mention are "'Saaz Aur Awaaz, Biwi Aur Makaan, Johnny Mera Naam, Raahgeer, Baharon Ke Sapne, Anhonee, Dastan, Rampur Ka Lakshman, Saudagar, Maaie, Hamaar-Bhauji' and many more ....One of her most popular TV serial is 'RAMAYAN" æglalunç, in which she played the pivotal, outstanding and memorable role of "Kaikeyi" –dSdsuJ It is a matter of great pleasure for us today to have a versatile and veteran Artist like MS. PADMA KHANNA among us. We greet her with a wholehearted welcome and applause.