▁at ▁age ▁ 9 ▁under ▁Kath ak ▁g uru , ▁P and it ▁Ram ▁Nar ay an ▁Mis ra , ▁a ▁well - known ▁dis ci ple ▁of ▁Sh amb hu ▁and ▁Ac ch chan ▁Mah ar aj . ▁ ▁Das ▁was ▁sch oo led ▁in ▁both ▁major ▁Kath ak ▁trad itions , ▁em body ing ▁each ▁in ▁his ▁art istry : ▁the ▁grace ful ▁and ▁sens ual ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁L uck now ▁school ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁dynamic ▁and ▁powerful ▁rh yth ms ▁and ▁movements ▁of ▁the ▁Ja ip ur ▁School . ▁ ▁Das ▁was ▁a ▁child ▁pro dig y ▁in ▁India ▁who ▁quickly ▁att ained ▁national ▁fame , ▁performing ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 1 ▁with ▁the ▁legend ary ▁tab la ▁ma estro ▁Sam ta ▁Pr as ad ji ▁and ▁in ▁a ▁special ▁concert ▁for ▁the ▁great ▁Indian ▁dance ▁icon ▁U day ▁Sh ank ar . ▁ ▁Das ▁graduated ▁from ▁Rab ind ra ▁B har ati ▁University ▁in ▁Cal cut ta ▁and ▁earned ▁his ▁M . A . ▁in ▁dance ▁from ▁P ray ag ▁Sang it ▁Sam iti ▁in ▁Al la hab ad . ▁ ▁Te aching ▁career ▁Ch it resh ▁Das ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁on ▁a ▁Whit ney ▁Fellow ship ▁to ▁teach ▁Kath ak ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁P and it ▁Das ▁was ▁invited ▁by ▁U stad ▁Ali ▁Ak bar ▁Khan ▁to ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Bay ▁Area ▁to ▁teach ▁Kath ak ▁and ▁establish