Bhubaneswar, Sept. 29: Young Odissi dancer Pallavi Das is carrying forward the legacy of her grandfather Guru Pankaj Charan Das, one of the founder gurus of the dance form.

Pallavi is not only emerging as a solo artiste, but also has founded a dance studio in memory of her legendary grandfather, popularly known as adi guru or the first guru. Now, she is set to host the second edition of a dance festival as a tribute to him this week.

Training in Odissi since the age of eight, Pallavi started learning her first steps from late guru Sahadev Padhi and joined the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre in 2006. She received a senior national scholarship in 2009 during her training at the centre under guru Kanduri Charan Behera. Both Padhi and Behera were disciples of her grandfather.

Pallavi has been a part of the dance repertory of the centre ever since and performed at many dance festivals across the country as part of the troupe. But now, she is making her mark as a solo dancer.

She was impressive at the Odissi International dance festival in 2011 and has performed solo at many events in Mumbai, Bangalore and within Odisha. Last week she was invited to perform at the Navodit fest at Shantiniketan.

"It is a wonderful experience when you perform solo on stage with a challenge to hold the viewer's attention with your dance. I wish to keep improving and make my grandfather's soul proud," said the 27-year-old.

The Odissi artiste set up a studio in Bhubaneswar by the name of Guru Pankaj Udra Sanskruti Academy that is well decorated with exclusive photographs of the late guru. Pallavi imparts Odissi coaching for youngsters at the academy. She also started the Adi Guru Pankaj Charan Das Award festival last year. The second edition of the festival will be hosted this week.

"The disciples of Guru Pankaj Charan Das are famous exponents, and yet there is not enough documentation about my grandfather. I'm trying to collect all details of his life and make an archive at my dance studio. Also, the dance festival in his memory features his senior disciples, so that dance lovers are reminded of his legacy," she said.

The festival will be hosted on October 1 and 2 at Rabindra Mandap in the city.