She came to India in 1979 for just a few months to learn Kathakali. But 41 years and a Padma Shri later, Odissi dancer Ileana Citaristi is an “Odia at heart”.
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00:00I wanted to learn Odissi.
00:01Of course, I never planned that I would stay the entire life.
00:05That is what destiny was there for me.
01:00So that was unexpected.
01:02I started learning and I never ended.
01:05So I still keep on learning.
01:21So now the new generation, unfortunately,
01:24they don't have that fortune to learn directly from him.
01:28So I feel responsible to carry on
01:30and to share with them what I learned.
01:45I was not expecting it.
01:47I really didn't do anything for it.
01:49So it was the most surprise news
01:52which I got on 26th January of 2006.
01:55And I'm very happy that
01:57my father was still conscious and alive.
02:00Unfortunately, he died after 20 days.
02:25You