15 years ago, on Feb 21st, a group of 21 young women gathered in the community hall of an apartment building, eager to learn Odissi—one of our classical dances—under Smt. Bornalee Sarkar. This marked the very humble beginning of the journey of Shubham, the dream of a naive young dancer to build a community of people practicing, preserving, and exploring the rich heritage of our classical dance forms.
Our young students performed ‘Shubham’ for the first time on Durga Shashthi—a small presentation of 20 minutes. It was a hit, and it filled our hearts with joy! That’s when we knew ‘Shubham’ was the perfect name for our school. In Sanskrit, Shubham means auspiciousness, goodness, and prosperity. It’s a feeling we strive to spread through our work every day!
Our young students debuted Shubham, a 20-minute presentation that captivated audiences. The name—meaning auspiciousness, goodness, and prosperity in Sanskrit—perfectly captured our mission to spread joy through dance.
Shubham receives affiliation from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh.
Certified courses under the Kendra begin for students.
“Yatra”, Shubham’s festival, is launched with over 30 students and live musicians.
In autumn, Dr. Sujaya Ghosh joins as Kathak faculty, opening up the idea of running classes in multiple spaces.
Multiple venues are started in Billekahalli (Gaurav Nagara), JP Nagar 7th Phase and Akshay Nagar to accommodate more students.
The Shubham Ensemble is formed with seven dancers as a performance‑ready team.
Shubham is registered as a trust SSPA: “The Shubham School of Performing Arts”.
Founder Trustee & Director: Smt. Bornalee Sarkar, with a board of trustees overseeing the institution.
Registration No.: BNG/UJNR 641/2017/2018/BKN.
Four scattered venues merge into a single, larger space that supports simultaneous classes and ensemble rehearsals.
The Shubham Ensemble travels outside Bengaluru for the first time to perform “Shringaar” at Muktangan, Kolkata.
Keyuri Lineswala (Bharatanatyam), Aindrila Chatterjee (Hindustani vocal) and Shri Sandeep Ravikumar (Tabla) join, expanding disciplines.
“Yatra” continues as a biennial festival.
“Vivriti”, Shubham’s first complete in‑house production, is staged.
Classes quickly move online through Zoom to continue training.
Shubham begins teaching Odissi and Kathak to students across India and abroad.
Monthly in‑house baithak series “Stauti” starts on the last Saturday of every month.
Students learn not only performance but also stage management, lights, sound and space design.
During renewed lockdowns, online episodes of Stauti are hosted.
Shubham returns to stage after two years with “Pareshti – In Search Of”, based on Pt. Subrata De’s composition “Ganga, A Journey Called Life”.
A grant of ₹40,000 is received from Sangeet Natak Akademi for “Pareshti”.
Shubham’s first Rangapravesh: Odissi student Shomrita Mandal (trained by Smt. Barnalee Sarkar) leaves corporate work to become a full‑time dancer; Guru Jhelum Paranjape graces the occasion.
Launching Aaveshika, our guest performance series in Yatra.
Artists who performed in Aaveshika:
2022: Smt. Anjana Moyee Saikia
Smt. Vandana Supriya
2023: Smt. Arpita Banerjee
Shri Shamitha Hettige & Smt. Vithya Arasu
2025: Shri Bibhuti Bhushan Mohanta, Shri Shubham Acharya
& Shri Krishnendu Saha
Debuted Bangalore’s first 7-hour nonstop Ghungroo festival with 75+ artists.
Shubham continues to grow as a space for learning, performance, and collaboration in classical arts. With gratitude to gurus, families and well‑wishers, the school remains committed to serving the purpose of the arts despite challenges.
4/75, 3rd Cross Rd, R.K Colony, Marenahalli, 2nd Phase, J. P. Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560041