Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (SBKK) is an Indian cultural institution which runs a school for music, dance and performing arts in New Delhi. It was founded by Sumitra Charat Ram in 1952, and imparts training in Indian classical dance styles and music, including Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Chhau, Hindustani Classical music, both Vocal and Instrumental. Its associated organisation is the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts at Safdar Hasmi Marg, in the Mandi House area, the cultural hub of Delhi, the centre includes a theater for the performing arts, a theatre repertory company and an acting school. Often referred as Bharatiya Kala Kendra, Its current director is Shobha Deepak Singh, daughter of its founder, Sumitra Charat Ram. Today, it is known for its annual Ramlila, the enactment of the life of Rama which takes place during the 10-day Dussehra festival. First begun at the center in 1957, the Ramlila has, over the years, used different choreographers and style to include both folk and Indian classical dance to produce fresh choreographies. History Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra finds its origin in a Jhankar, a society founded in 1947 for an appreciation of Indian classical music and dance, gradually it started offering training in music and dance and came to be known as Bharatiya Kala Kendra. Eventually it moved to Copernicus Marg where it was renamed Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, later it was registered under the same name in 1952, under the Societies' Registration Act XXI of 1860. It now has two sections, the College of Music and Dance, and the Performing Arts Section. Noted classical singer Nilina Ripjit Singh, later known as Naina Devi was its director. Noted musicians, singer and dance guru of the era worked at the Kendra, including Siddheshwari DeviShambhu Maharaj, Birju Maharaj, Munna Shukla and Leela Samson. Kathak Kendra was originally established as the Kathak wing of the Shriram Bharitya Kala Kendra, in 1955, through the efforts of Nirmala Joshi, the first secretary of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, under the patronage of Sumitra Charat Ram, wife of industrialist, Lala Charat Ram of Shriram Group. here noted Kathak guru, Shambhu Maharaj, taught and his nephew Birju Maharaj. It was later taken over by Sangeet Natak Akademi and shifted to nearby Mandi House to become the National Institute of Kathak Dance. Founder Director, Sumitra Charat Ram was later awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India in 1966, while her daughter