Archive · 28 Jan 2026
Padma Shri Haricharan Saikia Ensures Sattriya's Future
Haricharan Saikia is a 96-year-old man who has spent his whole life teaching and performing a special kind of Indian dance called Sattriya.
He recently won a very important award called the Padma Shri for his hard work.
He learned this dance from a famous teacher when he was a child.
He even performed for India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and remembers it fondly.
Haricharan has won other awards too, like the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2011.
He is happy that young dancers are learning Sattriya and will keep the tradition alive.
He lives in a place called Gossain Pukhuri and still teaches dance to new students.
Haricharan Saikia, a 96-year-old Sattriya dance exponent, received the Padma Shri award for his lifelong contribution to preserving Assam’s cultural heritage.
Saikia was raised at the Old Kamalabari Satra in Majuli, where he began learning Sattriya from guru Maniram Dutta Borbayan.
He has devoted his life to promoting, practicing, and teaching Sattriya dance and was previously honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2011.
Saikia reminisced about performing before India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and cherished his appreciation for the art form.
Despite his advanced age, Saikia continues to teach Sattriya and is optimistic about the future of the art form, believing younger dancers will carry forward its legacy.
- Who
- Haricharan Saikia, a 96-year-old Sattriya dance exponent
- What
- Received the Padma Shri award for his contributions to Sattriya dance
- When
- Award conferred this year, interview on January 27
- Where
- At his residence in Gossain Pukhuri, Aadi Elengi, Bongalmora, Lakhimpur district
- Why
- For his lifelong dedication to preserving and promoting Sattriya dance
- Name
- Haricharan Saikia
- Age
- 96
- Award
- Padma Shri
- Art Form
- Sattriya Dance
- Guru
- Maniram Dutta Borbayan
- Previous Award
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2011)
- Location
- Gossain Pukhuri, Aadi Elengi, Bongalmora, Lakhimpur district
- Notable Performance
- Before Jawaharlal Nehru in New Delhi
