Birju Maharaj is a name that is synonymous with kathak. The maestro who turns 80 in Feb 2018, has spent almost 75 of those years on stage propagating Kathak. There is no kathak aspirant in the world today who is not influenced by Birju Maharaj's personal style or andaaz that has now become the signature style of the Lucknow gharana of Kathak.  He was one of the first few Indians to truly popularize classical kathak outside India and his remarkable style of connecting kathak with any and every audience has earned him thousands of followers the world over. 
Classical art needs Preservation, Promotion and Protection, and with that intention Birju Maharaj started his institute Kalashram. As the name suggests it has been an ashram for the performing arts since the last two decades. Hundreds of students learn kathak and other allied arts at the institute. 
This year, taking their efforts a step further Kalashram has organized the Kalashram Kathak Contest,a first of its kind contest where contestants who are among the best young dancers in India , will face off not just in traditional presentations, but will be pushed to present  creative choreogaphies that would appeal to the masses
. The winner would be be crowned with the 'Pandit Birju Maharaj Crown 2017', which would be the highest honour for any young artist in India. Scheduled at the prestigious National Centre for Performing Arts,Mumbai on Dec 21, 2017 audiences in Mumbai are awaiting this glitzy event.
by Sunil Sunkara  
Blogexpert @ KKC 2017