Who applied European theatrical techniques to Indian classical dance and is known as the father of modern Indian dance?

Explanation

Uday Shankar (1900-1977) was a pioneering dancer and choreographer who created a new style of dance by combining elements of Indian classical, folk and tribal dance with European theatrical techniques, such as stage lighting, set design and group choreography. He is widely regarded as the father of modern Indian dance.

Uday Shankar was born in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and studied art in London. There, he met the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who invited him to create Indian-themed ballets with her, such as "Radha-Krishna" and "Hindu Wedding". This experience inspired him to develop his own style. In the 1930s, he formed his own dance troupe and toured Europe and the United States, introducing Western audiences to Indian dance in a form they could easily enjoy. In 1938, he founded the Uday Shankar India Culture Centre at Almora, in present-day Uttarakhand, which trained many famous dancers and artists. He also made the dance film "Kalpana" (1948). His wife Amala Shankar was a dancer, and his younger brother was the sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and the Padma Vibhushan (1971).

Why not the other options?

• ✗Vallathol Narayana Menon was a Malayalam poet who founded the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1930 and revived Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.
• ✗Guru Bipin Singh is known as the father of modern Manipuri dance.
• ✗Kelucharan Mohapatra was the great guru who revived Odissi in the 20th century.
• ✗These are all major figures of Indian dance, but none of them is known for combining European theatre techniques with Indian dance in the way Uday Shankar did.