Pandit Anju Babu, Director, Kathak Kalakshetra, Choreographer of Ekta Kia Awaaz:
Pandit Anju Babu was drawn to dance since his childhood. His mother who is also his mentor encouraged him to take up dance on a much serious note and enrolled him in Government Music and Dance College in 1967. There was no looking back for him for the next 5 years till he savored the distinct flavour of Kathak under the able guidance of his Gurus Pandit Ramakrishna Shukla (brother-in-law of late Padmabhushan Sri Shambhu Maharaj of Lucknow Gharana) and Pandit Uttal Rao. He commenced dance practice at the age of twelve, without any family background in this field out of his immense love towards the art. Inspired by none other than Pandit Birju Maharaj and Pandit Gopikrishna. Anju Babu mastered in the traditional techniques of Kathak Dance and also created his own distinct style which is now known as Deccan Style of Kathak.