Danseuse Saswati Sen trains kids at a dance workshop at the Centre for Excellence. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Dec. 3: Kathak exponent Saswati Sen today lamented the insensitivity of the central government towards the needs of the classical arts and artistes.

Sen, a disciple of kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj, said it is sad that even her guru has to run his institute Kalashram at two rented places at Mayur Vihar and Jor Bagh in Delhi.

The dancer was in the city for a three-day workshop organised by the Sangeet Kala Kendra at the Centre for Excellence, that began yesterday.

“It is more than seven years since my guruji has retired from Kathak Kedra. But despite repeated requests, he has not been given a piece of land to run his own institute. After retirement, my guruji has changed at least 10 places to run the institute,” she said.

“We ran from pillar to post but nothing happened. No one seemed interested to give us a place for a dance institute. It’s painful that the government has no concern for the classical arts,” said Sen, who has received the prestigious Akademi award.

Also a winner of the Sanskriti award, Sen said: “About five years ago, Delhi Development Authority had given a land to Kalashram. But later that, too, ran into controversy. The matter is in the court and we have requested the government to provide an alternative piece of land. But nothing has been done.”

The danseuse said classical music and dance would always have a selective audience. Lamenting the latest dance programmes like Boogie Woogie, Sen said little has been done for classical music: “It is sad that even after six years, the Jharkhand government has not been able to set up a Sangeet Natak Akademi.”