Shringarika Raj Singh. Telegraph picture

Ranchi, May 13: A young kathak dancer in the capital will learn the intricacies of footwork and mudras from the legendary Pandit Birju Maharaj.

A Class IX student of Bishop Westcott Girl’s School in Namkum, Shringarika Raj Singh (15), has been chosen among 18 students nationwide in the Gurukul Scholarship Scheme, SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture amongst Youth).

The other aspirant from Jharkhand to make the cut is Jamshedpur’s Kumari Nikita.

From June 1 to 30, the girls will stay at Kalashram, the dance school run by Maharaj in New Delhi.

SPIC MACAY state co-ordinator Rajiv Ranjan said they had received 12 applications from Jharkhand in the 14-26 age group, which were sent to Delhi for screening. “I chose eight for two rounds of telephonic interviews in February,” he said.

Personal interviews based on dance, individual interests and awareness were held later.

“Finally, we handpicked two from Jharkhand — Shringarika and Kumari Nikita,” he said.

The scholarship is aimed that giving GeNext an exposure to the age-old guru-shishya relationship, which is slowly dying.

“Students get a chance to meet well-known gurus to further their own journey in the world of art and culture,” said Ranjan. SPIC MACAY official added that selected students would first attend a 15-day workshop at Birju Maharaj’s Gurukul in Calcutta before heading to Delhi.

During her stay, Shringarika will learn about art and culture and will have to closely follow the lifestyle and values of her guru.

No wonder, she is elated.

“Kathak is my childhood passion. Honing my art from Maharajji will be the experience of a lifetime,” said the accomplished teen, who has been learning the classical dance form since she was nine.

Though she is good at academics, Shringarika, showing rare courage, wants to pursue a career in classical dance. And proud mother Gitanjali concurs. “I always discouraged my daughter from participating in dance reality shows. Instead I told her to remain focused on kathak. It is proud moment for the entire family,” she said.