Ramli Ibrahim

Hailed as one of the world’s finest artistes of his generation, Ramli Ibrahim is the founder of the Sutra Dance Theatre and the Sutra Foundation in Kuala Lumpur which focuses primarily on the Odissi dance form from Odisha, India.
Ramli attended military college and initially studied mechanical engineering in University of Western Australia before enrolling in the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne. He was introduced to classical Indian dance by a fellow Malaysian dancer, Zamin Haroon, and later moved to Chennai to study under Adyar Lakshman. He would eventually focus on Odissi, learning with famous guru, Deba Prasad Das.
Since then, Ramli has performed internationally for more than four decades. Ramli takes a multifaceted and diverse approach to the performing arts and his craft, choreographing critically acclaimed works and becoming an integral, if pioneering, figure in Malaysia’s dance scene. He has single-handedly established Odissi as a widely appreciated dance form while adding a distinct Malaysian nuance to the art form.
Ramli has been recognised internationally by various esteemed establishments. In 2011, he was the first ever Malaysian to be awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the President of India. The award is the highest honour in the country conferred on performing artists, gurus and scholars of the performing arts. In 2012, he was acknowledged as a Living Heritage by the Malaysian government while the United Nations de declared him as a UNESCO Living Treasure that same year. He received his datukship from the Federal Government of Malaysia in 2013.
Ramli was also the recipient of the 2018 Padma Shri Award, one of the highest civilian awards for artists, by the Indian government and the Lifetime Arts Achievement Award in 2019 by Sugam Culture and Heritage Foundation.
Other awards include the Fulbright Distinguished Artist Award in 1999, the Angarag Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, the Purush Awards in 2009 and the Ram Gopal Best Male Dancer Awards in 2011.

[@sairamshanmugam574]

A legend

[@mathewsgeorge8250]

You and Tajudin give me hope❤

[@SongPeehoa]

God Almighty is the answer and not smoking or coffee or whatever.

[@reubensher8144]

For once MARA did something right ...Legend..

[@SongPeehoa]

Thank you for contributing to the Arts in Malaysia and Asia. So beautiful ❤️❤️❤️

[@jameshue55]

Can someone explain why he is able to remain unscattered in our current hostile environment?