Odissi music (oṛiśī) is a classical music in India originated from the eastern state of Orissa. Indian Classical music has five significant branches: Avanti, Panchali, Odramagadhi, Hindustani and carnatic. Of these, Odramagadhi exists in the form of Odissi music. Generally, Odissi is one of the classical dances of India performed with Odissi music. Odissi music got shaped during the time of famous Oriya poet, Jayadeva, who composed lyrics meant to be sung. By the 11th century AD folk music of Orissa existing in the form of Triswari, Chatuhswari, and Panchaswari was modified into the classical style. However, Odissi songs were written even before the Oriya language developed. Odissi music has a rich legacy dating back to the 2nd century BCE, when king Kharvela, the ruler of Orissa (Kalinga) patronized this music and dance.

Ancient Orissa had rich culture of music what is proved by many archaeological excavation throughout Orissa. At Sankarjung in the Angul district, the initial spade work surfaced the cultural stratum of Chalcolitic period. From here, polished stone celts and hand-made pottery have been excavated. Some of the Celts are narrow but large in size. Thus they are described as Bar-celts. On the basis of bar-celts discovered in Sankarjung it could be argued that they were earlier musical instrument in India. There are historical evidences in the form of sculptural evidences, i.e. musical instruments, singing and dancing postures of damsels in the Ranigumpha Caves in Khandagiri and Udayagiri at Bhubaneswar.

Sujata Mohapatra (born June 27, 1968) is an eminent Indian classical dancer and teacher of Odissi dancing style.

Sujata Mohapatra was born in Balasore in 1968.

She started learning Odissi at an early age from Guru Sudhakar Sahu.

She came to Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, in 1987 to further her training under Padma Vibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra at Odissi Research Center in Bhubaneshwar. She married Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's son Ratikant Mohapatra. Her daughter Preetisha Mohapatra is also an Odissi dancer.

Sujata started dancing Odissi classical and folk dance with Sudhakar Sahu's dance troupe in programs across Orissa. Under the tutelage of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, her dance style evolved and she was groomed to become one of the foremost Odissi dancers of her generation.

Sujata Mohapatra is also actively involved in teaching Odissi. Presently, she holds the designation as the Principal of 'Srjan' (Odissi Nrityabhasa), a prime Odissi dance institution founded by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Sujata has obtained a Masters Degree in Oriya Literature from Utkal University and has also done research work at the Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneshwar.

Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam is an eminent Carnatic music vocalist. As a student and performer of classical music for over three decades, she has performed extensively in India and abroad since the age of twelve. She has conducted numerous workshops and lecture demonstrations on the various aspects of Carnatic Music. She has presented papers at international conferences in many countries over the last decade. She is a serious researcher of music. In June 2007, she brought out a book “Apoorva Kriti Manjari” – a collection of twenty rare compositions of the Trinity of Carnatic Music. The book has notations in English and Tamil by noted musicologist S. Balachander and the audio has been rendered by Vijayalakshmy.

Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam started her training in Carnatic Music at the age of five under K. Padmanabhan, a disciple of Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar from the Swati Tirunal Academy, Trivandrum. She learnt detailed aspects of manodharma sangita or improvisation under the guidance of guru Sangeeta Bhushanam K Krishnaswamy of Annamalai University. Her gurus also include Vidwans S.Rajam, T. R. Subramaniam and V. R. Krishnan.

Sonal Mansingh (born Apr 30, 1944) is an eminent Indian classical dancer and choreographer of Odissi dancing style; who is also proficient in other Indian classical dancing styles including Bharatnatyam,Kuchipudi, and Chhau. She was married and divorced to former Indian diplomat Lalit Mansingh.

Sonal Mansingh was born in Mumbai, second of three children to Arvind and Poornima Pakvasa, a noted social worker from Gujarat and Padma Bhushan winner in 2004. Her grandfather was Mangal Das Pakvasa, a freedom fighter, and one of the first five Governors of India.

She started learning Manipuri dance at age four, along with her elder sister, from a teacher in Nagpur, then at age seven she started learning Bharatnatyam from various gurus belonging to the Pandanallur school, including Kumar Jayakar in Bombay

She has "Praveen" and "Kovid" degrees in Sanskrit from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and B.A. (Hons) degree in German Literature from Elphinstone College, Bombay.

Though, her real training in dance started when at age 18, despite her family's opposition, she went to Bangalore, to learn Bharatanatyam from Prof. U. S. Krishna Rao and Chandrabhaga Devi at age 18, abhinaya from Mylapore Gowri Ammal, and later started learning Odissi from Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in 1965.