Dhaneswar Swain

Dhaneswar Swain (; born on 18 May 1953) is an exponent and Guru of the Odissi Mardala, the traditional percussion instrument of Odissi music. He founded Vadya Vani Gurukula, an institution for training and research in Odissi Mardala and other traditional Odisha percussion instruments.

Biography He was born in the village of Nahantara in the Puri district of Odisha to Sambhunatha Swain and Kanchana Swain. He received his initial training in the Mardala from his elder brother, Bhramabara Swain. He joined the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in 1970 and trained under Gurus Singhari Shyamsundar Kar, Banamali Maharana and Mahadev Rout.

Career After working with the Odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh for a year, in 1979, he joined the Mahavidyalaya as a Mardala teacher and worked there for over three decades. He has given Mardala recitals at various forums across the country, such as the Rajarani music festival, Konarka Natyamandap, Sankat Mochan Festival, Haridas Sangeet Samaroh, All India Radio Sangeet Sammelan, and Sangeet Sandhya at the India Habitat Centre.

He has been honored for his work with the title Badyashree conferred by the Utkal Sahitya Kala Parishad in 1999.

For his contributions to Odissi music and Odissi Mardala, he received the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2008 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2013. Nikhila Utkala Sangita Silpi Parisada (2020) Mahodadhi Samman Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman Nikhila Utkala Pala Gayaka Parisad Sri Nrutya Samman Bagdevi Samman Guru Sahadev Padhi Samman Odisha Dance Academy