Ranjana Gauhar is a leading exponent of the Indian Classical dance - Odissi, an ancient dance style which originated, centuries ago, in the temples of Orissa.

For her commitment, deep devotion and dedication to Odissi she has been honoured  with the prestigious Padma Shree in 2003 and with the Sangeet Natak Akademi  Award for the year 2007 by the President of India.

Ranjana's tryst with Odissi began quite early in life. Born with a passion to use body as a language for the soul, Ranjana's thirst for innovation took her to different forms and mediums of art. As a child, she dabbled in painting, dance and theatre. But it was Odissi that finally captured her heart and soul and she trained under the legendary guru - Guru Mayadhar Raut. She sharpened her sensitivities by taking up Philosophy for graduation and English Literature for MA and enriched her experience as a dancer by also learning Kathak and Manipuri dance syles.

Ranjana views life as an extension of her dance. She has perfected and honed her skills in Odissi to create her own distinctive style and signature in the art form. She has even experimented with Chhau dance – Orissa's martial art form - and successfully blended it with her own inimitable style of Odissi.

Apart from performing extensively all over India , Ranjana has taken Odissi to various parts of the world, having performed at various dance festivals in USA , UK, Germany , France, Italy , Greece , Switzerland , Austria, Poland, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Bratislava, Holland, Belgium, Tunisia , Cyprus , Kuwait , Yugoslavia , Japan , Sri Lanka , Pakistan , Bhutan , Cambodia, Vietnam, South American countries - Panama, Ecudor, Mexico.

She founded the UTSAV Educational and Cultural Society in 1987, dedicated to imparting qualitative training and professional degrees students of Odissi.

She has also produced and directed a number of professional ballets depicting contemporary and mythological themes. Furthermore, Ranjana is an independent film producer , researcher and scriptwriter and has successfully produced many television serials, films, and documentaries. Her most recent contribution to the propagation of Odissi is her book titled ‘Odissi – The Dance Divine', released in February, 2007.