Anita Sharma (born 1969) is an Indian classical dancer associated with Sattriya, one of the eight classical dance forms recognised in India. Originating in the Vaishnavite monasteries (sattras) of Assam, Sattriya was traditionally performed by male monks and was accorded classical status by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in the year 2000. Sharma is among the practitioners associated with the form in its wider, post-recognition phase.
| Name | Anita Sharma |
|---|---|
| Year of birth | 1969 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Discipline | Sattriya dance |
| Tradition | Indian classical dance |
Sattriya dance was developed in the 15th–16th century by the Assamese saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva as part of the Ekasarana Dharma religious movement. The form combines devotional narrative, stylised hand gestures (hastas), rhythmic footwork, and music drawn from the borgeet tradition. Until the late 20th century its practice was largely confined to the sattras of Assam; following its classical recognition, performers, including women, began presenting Sattriya on the wider Indian and international stage.
As a Sattriya dancer of her generation, Sharma belongs to the cohort of artists who have contributed to the visibility of the form outside its monastic origins, helping situate it alongside Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam and Manipuri in the national classical dance landscape.