Healthy Soch
Chandigarh, June 23, 2019 :
Kathak dancer Shruti Gupta, a two-time Limca Book of Records holder for dancing at the highest altitude, She gave this performance at the height of 18,380ft barefoot in minus 24 degree Celsius temperature for 20 minutes in association with the Indo Tibetan Border Police, Ministry of Home Affairs, and dedicated it to the Indian Armed Forces deployed in the security of the country.
Hailing from Solan, Shruti has done her Masters in Instrumental Music from Shimla University and completed her second degree of Masters in Indian Classical Dance from the Dance Department of Punjabi University.
In an interview conducted by Dr Jaswant SinghPuri, Shruti Gupta, Kathak Dancer, Limca Book of Records Holder talks about the Indian Culture. Look for her interview in series to follow in 4 parts :
Part – 1
Q1.Which is your native place ?
Answer- Solan (Himachal Pradesh)
Q2.When and where were you born ?
I was born on August 15, 1987 in Solan (Himachal Pradesh).
Q3.Please tell us something about your Parental and In-laws Family History.
Answer- My father is from Firozpur & mother from Solan. My in-laws belong to Jamshedpur.
Q4.Where did you have your schooling?
I did my schooling from Govt. Girl High School, Solan.
Q5.In which you received a university education ?
I obtained my first master degree from Himachal Pradesh University in Indian Instrumental Music & second master degree from Punjabi University in Indian Classical Dance.
Q6.Which awards & Honors you received till date ?
By now I have been conferred with many awards. I have been honoured by Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, Himachal Pradesh Governor Shri Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Ms. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi , Shri Krishna Chaudhary (Director GeneralITBP), Shri Vijay Kumar Dev (Ex Advisor to UT Administrator), Shri Anurag Agarwal (Home Secretary to The Chandigarh Administration), Colonel Dhani Ram Shandil( Ex. Social Justice & Empowerment Minister , Himachal Pradesh) & many Inspector General & Deputy Inspector General of Indo-Tibetan Boarder Force(ITBP). Apart from all these I have been also awarded by ‘Punjab Art Council’ , ‘Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi’ ‘North Zone Cultural Centre(NZCC)’ ‘Rotary International’ & Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt ( Grammy Award Winner ).
Q7.Which were the places you organised/attended/participated in cultural programmes?
Answer- I have given more than four hundred performances throughout India by now.
Q8.Which dignitaries had invited and appreciated your Cultural programs?
Answer- The Prime Minister of India, Governor of Himachal Pradesh & Punjab, , Ms. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi personally invited me and appreciated my work in the field of ‘Art & Culture’.
Q9.Why you are dedicating your shows to The Indian Security Forces?
Answer- From my childhood I always wanted to do something for the Indian Armed Forces. There is a very great respect for them because they are always ready to sacrifice their lives for our country. I always wanted to do something directly or indirectly for the army. That is why; I dedicated my entire recital at Himalaya to the Indian Armed Forces.
Q10.What made Limca Book of Records enter your name and how many times?
Answer- My world record is for the kathak dance at the highest altitude of the world and also for the dance recital at the maximum no. of Himalayan Passes. I have three world records in my name. These are ‘Limca Book of Records’ & ‘Best of India Record’.
Q11.What is your special message for Indians stationed all over the globe?
Indians have gone places and brought great glory to the country they were born in from science to arts, business to literature, who have given us several more reasons to be proud of. Moreover we all should be very proud to be an Indian because India is the largest democracy in the world. We have a lot of achievements in every field like space Science, missile technology, medical science, information technology, mathematics, art & culture etc. It has a civilization that is more than 5000 years old and boasts of multiple cultural origins. India is a country where people respect elders. People of India live in peace and harmony. India is the only country where there are people of different languages, religions and race, but all of them live together in harmony.