Odissi dancer Madhumita Raut dies of cardiac arrest

Renowned Odissi dancer Madhumita Raut died of a cardiac arrest here on Saturday (March 21, 2026). She was 59.

“She was ailing for some time and was admitted to a private hospital in Delhi, where she had a massive cardiac arrest at 6:22 a.m. this morning,” her brother Manoj Raut told PTI.

Raut is survived by two younger brothers, Manoj and Manmath.

The daughter of Odissi guru Mayadhar Raut, Madhumita had received many national and international awards and recognition for her promotion of Odissi dance, including Bharat Nirman Award 1997, Orissa State Ghungur Samman 2010, and Odisha Living Legend Award 2011.

She participated in major dance festivals in India, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Austria, Spain, Morocco, France, Portugal, Japan and the US.

Her works included compositions on poetry, choreographic compositions on poems of Goethe, and fusion dances with Balinese dancer Dia Tantri in the Netherlands.

Her last rites will be performed at 3.30 p.m. on Saturday (March 21, 2026) at Lodhi Crematorium in Delhi.