Shashrek Ambardar (16), a class XI humanities student of Ryan International School, Noida and a Bharatnatyam dancer since age nine, is busy preparing for a solo dance performance at the International Children’s Festival of Performing Arts (an annual global event of the Ryan International Group of Institutions) scheduled for January 2013. Awarded the Balshree for creative excellence in the performing arts by the National Bal Bhavan — an autonomous Delhi-based organisation of the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry which confers the honour upon talented children in the age group nine-16 years — in 2009, Shashrek’s stage grace and fluidity has won him laurels in India and abroad, in competitive and non-competitive performances. To date, this promising young dancer/ choreographer has staged 22 — mostly solo — performances at prestigious events such as the Bonn Festival, Germany (2005), World Festival of Children’s Performing Arts, Toyama, Japan (2008) and World Children’s Theatre Ensemble, London (2010). Moreover, he is routinely invited to perform at major public events, before audiences of foreign and national dignitaries and artists.

“Initially, my friends found it difficult to appreciate me as a classical dancer which was embarrassing, but after I started winning awards and laurels, everything fell into place. I have an amazing support team which includes my parents, school and my guru Sindhu Mishra, who have always stood by me and encouraged me,” says Shashrek.

Shashrek’s dedication to Bharatnatyam — the vintage classical dance form of Tamil Nadu — has not deterred him from doing well academically. He cleared his class X CBSE board exam with a cumulative grade point average of 10 last year and is currently a member of the school parliament. An excellent debater, he has been participating in the India Model United Nations (IMUN) since class VIII. His creative expressions extend on stage through theatre and his paintings. He bagged the Student of the Year Award — instituted by The Times of India’s Newspaper in Education (NIE) programme for academic and all-around excellence — in 2011.

Also a contemporary dance and choreography enthusiast, this accomplished teen’s career ambition is to enter the Indian Administrative Service. “I want to serve my country and bring a positive change in the functioning of the Indian bureaucracy. I took up humanities so I could acquire in-depth and extensive knowledge of the subjects I will opt for in the civil services exam after graduation. Unfortunately, classical dance is not a viable career option,’’ says Shashrek, while sincerely hoping it gets more exposure in the media, especially cinema.

Swati Roy (Delhi)