JAMMU / NEW DELHI, Oct 6: Rashtriya Nritya Pratibha (RNP) 2026, a national dance competition organised by NKB Performing Arts, was held at the YMCA New Delhi Auditorium, bringing together talented dancers from different parts of the country. The event featured solo, duo and group performances across Indian classical, folk and contemporary dance forms.
The programme was graced by Prof. Sudhir Kumar Sopory, Padma Shri awardee, eminent scientist and former Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, as the Chief Guest, while Meena Sopory attended as the Special Guest. Their presence added significance to the cultural event and encouraged the participating artists.
The jury comprised Guru Subhash Chander, former Prashikshak Guru at Kathak Kendra who has also been associated with the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) for more than two decades; Namita Kulshreshtha, winner of VG Mrs India 2025; and Swati, a Doordarshan-graded Kathak artist and recipient of a CCRT scholarship. The performances were evaluated on parameters including costume, dance technique, expression, rhythm and creativity.
The event also featured special performances by Santosh Aggarwal, Mrs. Category 1st Runner-Up, MS Entertainment; Yogeshwari A, State Director at the AIEF Fine Arts Development Committee; Kathak artist Gaurav Mittal; and Kathak Sadhika Shikha Prakash from Dehradun. Santosh Aggarwal was honoured with the “Nritya Shakti” Samman in recognition of her courage and dedication. The special award category was introduced at RNP 2026 and is expected to continue in future editions.
The vision behind Rashtriya Nritya Pratibha comes from its founder Bharti Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit woman and Kathak Sadhika. Drawing from her own understanding of the challenges that can prevent artists from pursuing their passion, she created RNP as a platform for those who had to put their artistic aspirations on hold, particularly women and individuals who never received an opportunity to perform. The initiative seeks to celebrate the courage to return to one’s art and begin again.
In the Sub-Junior Solo category for children aged 4–8 years, Jenel Sehgal emerged as the winner, while Jia Jolly secured the first runner-up position. In the Junior Solo category for participants aged 9–14 years, Pari Sahni won the competition and Ira Manish was declared first runner-up.
In the Senior Solo category for participants aged 15–25 years, Gaurav Mittal emerged as the winner, with Misti Kuhar securing the first runner-up position. In the Duo category, Hitashi Arora and Tashiv Chhabra won the competition, while Ryma Kumar and Myra Kumar were declared first runners-up.
In the Group category, the White Shadow Dance Group secured the winner’s position, while the Dance Freek Group emerged as the first runner-up.
The event was organised by Bharti Kaul, Founder of NKB Performing Arts, with Anil Kaul serving as Co-organiser. Keshvi Kaul and Chiranjeev contributed as hosts and volunteers. The programme concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Anil Kaul, who reaffirmed NKB Performing Arts’ commitment to creating meaningful platforms where artists can perform, develop their skills and receive recognition.