Uday Shankar - Legacy

Legacy

After his death in 1977, Amala Shankar took over the Kolkata school, which continues to offer training in training in folk and classical dance, improvisation, costume design etc. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1991. His son, Ananda Shankar's wife Tanushree Shankar also continues to teach and perform, his style of Indian modern dance, under 'Tanushree Shankar Dance Company' also based in the city. Years after, his school at Almora was disbanded, his followers and associates continued to propagate his innovative style of dancing and his aesthetic through their own work. Many went on to form their companies, thus creating an everlasting legacy of his immense body of work and influence on the dancers of his generation. Amongst them, were Shanti Bardhan were who create Ramayana ballets presentations using human beings performing like puppets, and also introduced the Panchatantra tales into dances, by creating movements of the birds and the animals. Guru Dutt, who attended his school, went on to one of India's finest film director. A student, Lakshmi Shankar later changed stream and became noted classical singer, later married Rajendra Shankar, the younger brother of Uday Shankar. Zohra Sehgal made a career for her in stage, television and cinema, both in India and Britain. Satyavati later danced with Ram Gopal at The Royal Festival Hall in London and at the Edinburgh festival in 1956. She taught Indian dance to thousands of young girls in Bombay through her classes in several of the convent schools in the city during a teaching career that spanned more than four decades.

In December 1983, his younger brother, sitar player Ravi Shankar organized a four-day festival, Uday-Ustav Festival in New Delhi, marking the 60th anniversary his professional debut in 1923, highlighted by performances by his disciples, films, an exhibition and orchestral music composed and orchestrated by Ravi Shankar himself. His birth centenary celebrations formally launch at the UNESCO headquarters, Paris, on April 26, 2001, where dancers, choreographers and scholars from all over the world assembled to pay homage to the master.
The Golf Club road has been renamed to Uday Shankar Sarani at Tollygunge area of south Kolkata.