Haricharan Saikia | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1929/1930 Assam, India |
| Occupation | Sattriya dance exponent |
| Known for | Promotion and preservation of Sattriya dance |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2026) Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2011) |
Haricharan Saikia is an Indian Sattriya dance exponent fromAssam. He was conferred thePadma Shri in 2026, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in recognition of his lifelong contribution to the preservation, practice and promotion ofSattriya, a classical dance form of Assam.[1][2][3][4]
Saikia was raised at the Old Kamalabari Satra inMajuli, where he began learning Sattriya dance under the guidance of renowned guru Maniram Dutta Borbayan during his childhood.[1]
Saikia devoted his life to the practice, promotion, and teaching of Sattriya dance.[1] He has performed widely at cultural programmes in Assam and other parts of India. During his career, he also performed before India’s first prime minister,Jawaharlal Nehru, at a cultural event in New Delhi.[1] In 2011, he was honoured with theSangeet Natak Akademi Award for his artistic mastery and sustained service to Indian classical dance.[1]
Despite his advanced age, Saikia continued to teach Sattriya at his own institution and remained actively engaged in mentoring younger practitioners.[1] His recognition with the Padma Shri highlights his lifelong contribution to preserving Assam’s cultural heritage.[2][5]