Contemporary Indian dancer and choreographer Astad Deboo left for his heavenly abode on December 10. He was 73. According to the dance pioneer’s family, Astad breathed his last in his Mumbai home after a brief illness. Astad was renowned for combining Kathak and Kathakali into a unique fusion dance form.
His family released a statement on social media, “He left us in the early hours of December 10, at his home in Mumbai, after a brief illness, bravely borne. He leaves behind a formidable legacy of unforgettable performances combined with an unswerving dedication to his art, matched only by his huge, loving heart that gained him thousands of friends and a vast, number of admirers.”
The announcement added: “The loss to the family, friends, fraternity of dancers, both classical and modern, Indian and international, is inestimable.May he rest in peace. We will miss him.”
Check out the emotional post here:
Deboo was born on July 13, 1947, in the town of Navsari in Gujarat. He trained in Kathak under Prahlad Das in Kolkata and in kathakali under EK Pannicker. Known for his charitable endeavours, Deboo worked with deaf children, both in India and abroad. In 2002, he founded the Astad Deboo Dance Foundation. He also choreographed for directors such as Mani Ratnam, Vishal Bhardwaj and legendary painter M F Hussain’s directorial ‘Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities’.
The Indian government had awarded him the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Padma Shri.
May His Soul Rest In Peace.