Celebrating a remarkable milestone in her artistic journey, 15-year-old Ilesha Singh presented her debut Kuchipudi Rangapravesham at the prestigious Kamani Auditorium,. The performance showcased years of rigorous training, discipline and dedication, earning warm appreciation from the audience, eminent members of the classical dance fraternity, and distinguished guests.
The evening recital featured a thoughtfully curated repertoire beginning with Venkatesh Stotram, an invocation expressing praise, surrender and devotion to Lord Venkateswara. This was followed by Dashavtaram, depicting the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu through expressive storytelling and distinct movements, and Sanson Ki Mala, an evocative abhinaya presentation exploring devotion, longing and profound love. The evening culminated with Shiva Tarangini, in which Ilesha portrayed the glory of Lord Shiva and demonstrated the technical virtuosity of Kuchipudi by executing intricate rhythmic footwork while dancing on the rim of a brass plate.
Congratulating Ilesha, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Govt of India said “Watching Ilesha take the stage for her Kuchipudi Rangapravesham was a deeply emotional and proud moment for our family. Her journey, which began at the age of four and a half, has been shaped by discipline, perseverance and an abiding love for this beautiful classical tradition. We remain profoundly grateful to her gurus, Dr. Raja and Radha Reddy and Smt. Kaushalya Reddy, for their invaluable guidance. As her father, I could not be prouder of the grace, confidence and dedication with which she marked this important milestone.”
A disciple of Padma Bhushan awardees Drs. Raja and Radha Reddy and Smt. Kaushalya Reddy, Ilesha began her Kuchipudi training at the age of four and a half. Her Rangapravesham marked her formal debut as a solo Kuchipudi dancer and reflected her readiness to pursue the classical dance form with greater artistic depth and commitment. She is also among the youngest disciples of her revered gurus to achieve this significant milestone.
The successful debut stands as a testament to her years of perseverance, the invaluable guidance of her gurus, and the unwavering support of her family, inspiring young artists to pursue India’s classical traditions with passion and dedication.
The event witnessed the presence of an eminent gathering of Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, former parliamentarians, industry leaders, media personalities, designers, members of erstwhile royal families and prominent public figures.
Among the distinguished attendees were Smt. Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, and Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Mirzapur; Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Hamirpur and former Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports; Shri R.P.N. Singh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, from Uttar Pradesh and former Union Minister of State; Shri Rajeev Shukla, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, from Chhattisgarh, Honorary Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and former Union Minister of State; and Shri Surendra Singh Nagar, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, from Uttar Pradesh.
The gathering also included Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Rajsamand; Smt. Anupriya Patel, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Mirzapur; Smt. Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Bolangir; Smt. Malvika Devi, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Kalahandi; Maharani Kriti Devi Debbarman, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Tripura East; Shri Rajeev Rai, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Ghosi; Shri Chandan Chauhan, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Bijnor; and Shri Rajkumar Sangwan, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Baghpat.
Former parliamentarians present on the occasion included Shri Madhu Goud Yaskhi, former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, from Nizamabad, and Nawab Kazim Ali Khan, former Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and a member of the erstwhile royal family of Rampur.
Prominent representatives from the media and communications fraternity included Smt. Shobhana Bhartia, Chairperson and Editorial Director, HT Media Limited, Pro-Chancellor of BITS Pilani and former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; Shri Dilip Cherian, Co-founder and Chairman of Perfect Relations and noted columnist; Smt. Devi Cherian, columnist and social commentator; and Smt. Ruchika Mehta, Editor, HELLO! India.
Leading figures from industry and healthcare included Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited; Shri Onkar Kanwar, Chairman, Apollo Tyres Limited; and Shri Naveen Antal, corporate leader.
The creative and design fraternity was represented by Smt. Raseel Gujral Ansal, acclaimed interior, product and spatial designer; renowned fashion designer Rina Dhaka; and celebrated fashion designer Charu Parashar.
Also present were Dr. Mallika Nadda, President, Special Olympics Bharat and Chairperson of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Advisory Council; Smt. Shefali Thakur; Smt. Neelam Pratap Rudy; Smt. Preeti Shukla; Smt. Poonam Sharma; Smt. Neha Prasada; and Smt. Anuradha Shukla, among several other eminent guests.
