Reela Hota, an acclaimed Odissi dancer, scholar, and yoga practitioner, seamlessly blends spirituality with artistry. An ‘A’ grade artist with the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi and Prasar Bharati, she has performed worldwide, interpreting themes of Yoga, Kundalini, Veda, and the Chakra system. Initiated into the spiritual tradition of Karma Sannyasa by Guru Satyasangananda Saraswati of Rikhiapeeth Ashram, she was bestowed the spiritual name Yogeshwari.
As the Founder of the Rays of Wisdom Society, she promotes the therapeutic power of music and dance, curating the Annual International Ancient Arts Festival-Symposium in collaboration with ICCR, IGNCA, and state cultural bodies. Under her leadership, her troupe has been recognized as ‘Outstanding’ by India’s Ministry of Culture.
A distinguished scholar, she has presented papers such as The Spiritual Facets of Shringar Rasa and Transforming Anger through Odissi Dance. Awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2022, she has received the Guru Gangadhar Pradhan Award (2024), Senior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture (2019), Atal Bihari Vajpayee Award for Art and Culture (2018), and Sanatan Nritya Puraskar (2007). Her work bridges
tradition and contemporary expression, inspiring artists and scholars alike.