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{{short description|Indian classical dancer and choreographer (born 1948)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Geetanjali Lal
|image = File:Geetanjali Lal.jpg
|birth_name = Geetanjali Desai
|birth_date = {{birth date and age| 5 Nov 1948|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Baroda]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]]
|known_for = Kathak dance and choreography
|spouse = [[Pandit Dev Lal]]
|children = [[Abhimanyu Lal]]
|occupation = Artistic Director, Devi-Durga Kathak Sansthan<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.classicalclaps.com/devi-durga-kathak-sansthan-presented-two-day-aavaratan-dance-festival/ |website=classicalclaps|title=Devi Durga Kathak Sansthan presented two day Aavaratan Dance Festival|date=10 September 2020 }}</ref>
|website = http://kathakresonance.com/
}}

'''Geetanjali Lal''' (born '''Geetanjali Desai'''; 5 Nov 1948) is an Indian [[Kathak]] dancer and choreographer.

==Early life and education==
Geetanjali Lal received formal training in Hindustani Classical music from her father, Rajnikant Desai – vocalist & professor of music and the disciple of Aftab-e-Mosiqui Ustad Faiyaz Khan of Agra Gharana.<ref name="mid-day"/>
She began formal training in Kathak dance at an early age of 6, under the distinguished Kathak danseuse [[Roshan Kumari]].<ref name="where-words-fall-short">{{cite news |title=Where words fall short |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/lifestyle/where-words-fall-short-56699 |work=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=TV channels reluctant to promote Kathak, say artists |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/jalandhar/add-covid-2-58750 |work=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en}}</ref>

Geetanjali Lal continued with her formal training in Kathak dance under stalwarts – [[Gopi Krishna (dancer)|Pandit Gopi Krishna]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sahai |first1=Shrinkhla |title=How gharanas shaped modern Kathak |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/how-gharanas-shaped-modern-kathak/article65277766.ece |work=The Hindu |date=31 March 2022 |language=en-IN}}</ref> [[Mohanrao Kallianpurkar|Shri Mohan Rao Kallianpurkar]] and Pandit Devi Lal of Jaipur Gharana.<ref>{{cite news |title=Children must be aware of classical art forms: Kathak dancer Geetanjali Lal - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/children-must-be-aware-of-classical-art-forms-kathak-dancer-geetanjali-lal/articleshow/78062296.cms |work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref name="mid-day">{{cite news |title=India is immensely rich in heritage classical art forms: Kathak dancer Geetanjali Lal |url=https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/article/india-is-immensely-rich-in-heritage-classical-art-forms--kathak-dancer-geetanjali-lal-22984206 |work=www.mid-day.com |date=11 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==Career==
She held the post of Chief of Repertory<ref name="hcicolombo">{{cite web |title=Welcome to High Commission of India, Colombo, Sri Lanka |url=https://hcicolombo.gov.in/press?id=eyJpdiI6Im82RUVWd0JXSzMxZUpDSDJSZmVvSUE9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiVW9RYkwzanA5akJuSGNGZDA0NTZNdz09IiwibWFjIjoiNGMwNGUwNWEwNGUwNDFhY2VhZDgyYjU2ZDQ0NjM2MGFmOTQ0NDIxYjYxM2RiMTFjZTQ4NzE2NThkNTdlNjBlYyJ9 |website=hcicolombo.gov.in}}</ref> and Director of [[National Institute of Kathak Dance|Kathak Kendra]] from 2009-2012.<ref name="spicmacay">{{cite web |title=Kathak Guru Vidushi Smt. Geetanjali Lal - Apni Maati: Personality |url=http://spicmacay.apnimaati.com/2013/07/kathak-guru-vidushi-smt-geetanjali-lal.html |website=spicmacay.apnimaati.com}}</ref>
She is a top grade artist of [[Doordarshan]] and [[Indian Council for Cultural Relations]], New Delhi.<ref name="spicmacay"/>

Geetanjali is well known for her abhinaya and other features of the Jaipur gharana, like laykaari, intricate rhythmic patterns in her footwork.
Geetanjali Lal had, ringing out the year 2001, surprised the audience with her imaginative choreography drawing on the [[2001 Gujarat earthquake|tragic earthquake in Kutch]], the [[September 11 attacks|attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre]] in New York, and the popular TV quiz show ‘[[Kaun Banega Crorepati]]' starring [[Amitabh Bachchan]].<ref name="hcicolombo" />

Geetanjali also acted in Kashmiri feature film – [[Shayar-e-Kashmir Mahjoor|Shayar-e-Kashmir Mahjoor (1972)]] by [[Prabhat Mukherjee]] – in the lead role, alongside actors [[Balraj Sahni|Balraj Sahani]], [[Parikshit Sahni]], [[Pran (actor)|Pran]].<ref name="mahjoor1">{{cite web |title=Shair-E-Kashmir Mahjoor (1972) Cast - Actor, Actress, Director, Producer, Music Director |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/shair-e-kashmir-mahjoor-4038/cast-crew |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218081501/https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/shair-e-kashmir-mahjoor-4038/cast-crew |url-status=live |archive-date=18 December 2021 |website=Cinestaan}}</ref><ref name="mahjoor2">{{cite web |last1=Naidu |first1=Jaywant |title=Dance helps the mind and body |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hans/2017-03-12/Dance-helps-the-mind-and-body/286246 |website=www.thehansindia.com |language=en |date=12 March 2017}}</ref>

==Personal life==
She was married to Pandit Dev Lal of Jaipur Gharana.<ref name="where-words-fall-short"/><ref name="mid-day"/>

Famous Kathak dancers [[Abhimanyu Lal]] (her son), Vidha Lal and Avenav Mukherjee are her disciples.<ref name="ab-vi-1">{{cite news |title=Each other's shadow |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/each-other-s-shadow-659633 |work=Tribuneindia News Service |language=en}}</ref><ref name="ab-vi-2">{{cite news |title='We complement each other' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/%E2%80%98We-complement-each-other%E2%80%99/article17127484.ece |work=The Hindu |date=2 February 2017 |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name="tribune">{{cite web |title=Dance bonds this saas, bahu |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140515/ldh1.htm#6 |website=www.tribuneindia.com |publisher=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Ludhiana Stories}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==

* [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] by [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]] in 2007<ref>{{cite news |title=President presents Akademi awards to 34 artists |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/president-presents-akademi-awards-to-34-artists-23162-2008-02-26 |work=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref name="spicmacay" /><ref name="mid-day" /><ref name="tribune" />

Also, she has been awarded the title of “Nritya Sharada”, "Natya Kala Shree”, “Bharat Gaurav”, “Kala Shiromani” "Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award" and “Kalpana chawala award, "Jjijabai Women Achivers Award", "Acharya Kala Vipanchee"<ref name="spicmacay" /><ref name="tribune" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:LaL, Geetanjali}}
[[Category:Kathak dancers]]
[[Category:Indian classical choreographers]]
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Artists from Ahmedabad]]
[[Category:Teachers of Indian classical dance]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Indian women choreographers]]
[[Category:Women educators from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Educators from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Indian dance teachers]]
[[Category:Indian female classical dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]
[[Category:Dancers from Gujarat]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Women musicians from Gujarat]]

Geetanjali Lal - Revision history

BXIBerniece at 19:20, 7 February 2026