Background
He was born in Lucknow. He was the youngest son of Kalka Prasad Maharaj.
He was born in Lucknow. He was the youngest son of Kalka Prasad Maharaj.
His actual name is Shambhunath Mishra. He learned Hindustani classical music from Ustad Rahimuddin Khan. In 1952, he joined the Bharatiya Kala Kendra (later, Kathak Kendra), New Delhi.
He became the head of the Dance (Kathak) department.
He was honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1967 and the Padmashri in 1956.