Gopal Prasad Dubey (above) at a performance. Telegraph pictures

Jamshedpur, Jan. 25: In 1976, a teenager junked his first-year college exams to choreograph Seraikela Chhau at an international drama festival held in Greece. Chhau remained the single-most guiding passion in the life of exponent Gopal Prasad Dubey (55), Jharkhand’s lone recipient of the Padma Shri this year, the names of which were announced in New Delhi on Wednesday, Republic Day eve.

Dubey, who calls himself a devotee of the dance, is among the 77 achievers conferred with India’s fourth highest civilian award, of which 22 are from the arts, including bhajan singer Anup Jalota and veteran classical vocalist Zia Fariduddin Dagar. Dubey received the award for chhau dance and choreography.

“Every artiste desires recognition. This honour means a new lease of life for me. I feel recharged. Now, I will experiment with the dance style, innovate and promote it across the country and abroad,” an excited Dubey told The Telegraph over phone from Seraikela.

Born in Seraikela in 1955, the third among six brothers, Dubey was a child when he was entranced by the chhau performances at the Seraikela royal palace. “For me, it was dance all the way. I was inspired to pursue Seraikela Chhau by my father Shashi Bhushan Dubey, a performer at the Seraikela royal palace,” recalled the exponent, who is recognised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and runs a dance academy Trinetra in Seraikela.

Interestingly, two of his gurus, Rajkumar S.N. Singhdeo and Kedar Nath Sahoo, had earlier received the Padma Shri. Dubey, who was nominated last year also, is now the sixth chhau artiste to receive the award.

“I have received scholarships, fellowships and honours, lectured and conducted workshops at some of the world’s best-known festivals and universities. I remember I studied commerce in Kashi Sahu College here, but hardly opened my books. My whole interest was in chhau. The dance form has rewarded my devotion, the Padma Shri being the crowning glory,” he said.

Members of the Seraikela royal family are also happy about the recognition. “This is an honour for Seraikela. I hope this encourages other chhau teachers and dancers to do well,” said Pratap Aditya Singhdeo, the eldest member.

Any regrets? “None. In fact, I look forward to taking my dance form to new horizons,” he said.

But he added that he did have a wish. “Both my wife Sunaina and I want our son Manupriyam to grow his interest in the arts. He knows about chhau and plays the sitar,” the fond father said. “But unlike me, he is a hardcore academic boy. He is studying microbiology from KIITS, Bhubaneswar,” said Dubey.

What is his legacy? “My students, who will spread the dance across the world,” he signed off.