Rodali Bora Takes Assam’s Sattriya and Bihu to Audiences Across the UK
With nearly two decades of classical training and more than 225 stage performances, the Birmingham-based artiste is promoting Sattriya, Bihu and Assamese cultural traditions internationally.
BIRMINGHAM/LONDON, UK: From learning Bihu as a toddler in Assam to performing Sattriya at prominent cultural and institutional platforms in the United Kingdom, Rodali Bora is building an artistic journey centred on preserving and sharing Assam’s cultural heritage.
With nearly two decades of classical dance training, more than 225 stage performances across India and the UK, and appearances in 14 screen productions, Bora has developed a multidisciplinary career spanning dance, cinema, filmmaking and education. Now based in Birmingham, she continues to present Assam’s traditions to international audiences through Sattriya, Bihu and storytelling.
Bora began learning Bihu at the age of two and a half under Guru Ranjit Gogoi. She subsequently trained in Sattriya under gurus Ranjumoni Saikia, Rinjumoni Saikia and Dhruba Jyoti Pathak. Her training has included nritya, abhinaya, devotional storytelling and repertoires associated with Chali and Jhumura.
She is recognised as a Doordarshan B-grade Sattriya artist and received the CCRT National Junior Scholarship in Sattriya from the Ministry of Culture. Between 2017 and 2025, she contributed to cultural education by promoting Sattriya and Bihu in India and abroad, while also participating in CCRT showcases and workshops.
Taking Sattriya and Bihu to the UK
Bora’s recent work in Britain has included performances at several significant cultural platforms.
In February 2026, she presented Sattriya and Bihu during ICCR Day celebrations at the Consulate General of India in Birmingham. She also performed Bihu at the High Commission of India in London as part of a State and Language Day celebration.
In June 2026, Bora performed Sattriya at a cultural programme associated with a seminar at the UK Parliament, held during the visit of Auniati Satra Satradhikar Dr. Pitambar Dev Goswami.
Another notable appearance came at Nritya Sangam at The Nehru Centre in London, where she opened the programme with a Krishna Vandana and presented Sattriya as part of a Kathak–Sattriya confluence.
The performance had particular significance for Bora because she had first visited The Nehru Centre in 2013 as a young artist accompanying her guru. Her return as a featured performer represented a progression from student to an artiste representing Assam on the same platform.
Her work was also recognised at Samarpana 2026 in Birmingham, where Deekshaa Arts presented her with the Youth Icon Award for her achievements in dance and performance. She had earlier represented Assam through a Bihu performance at the 2023 G20 Summit in Delhi.
A growing record of national and international appearances
Bora’s cultural engagements have extended well beyond the UK. In 2025, she performed Sattriya at the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Odisha and at the WOFA World Forum at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi. She also performed at a Women’s Day programme attended by President Droupadi Murmu and participated in a cultural programme marking Bharat Bhavan’s 43rd anniversary in Madhya Pradesh.
In November 2025, she was selected by Sampad to perform at Ujala — An Evening of Indian Classical Dance at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, where Sattriya was presented alongside Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Yakshagana.
Her earlier cultural appearances include performing Bihu at Assam Day during the 2018 India International Trade Fair, a Bihu performance before an audience of around 4,000 at the 7th Northeast Fest in 2024, and performances connected with the 2012 London Olympics, a Titanic centenary commemoration in 2013 and International Fellowship Day before the Governor of Assam in 2016.
From the stage to cinema
Bora’s connection with performance began in childhood and also includes Assamese cinema. Her acting debut came at the age of four as Mini in the telefilm Kabuliwala. Since then, she has appeared in 14 screen productions.
Her performance in Brahmakanya: The Colour of Hope earned her an international Best Actress honour at the 2023 Campinas Film Festival in Brazil. She also received regional Best Child Actress awards for roles in Surjasta, Seema: The Story Untold and Phehujali. In 2025, her performance in Burkha: The Veil received Best Actress honours at film festivals in Ahmedabad and Durgapur, as well as at the 8th Shaildhar Baruah Film Awards (NE). She also appeared in Ronuwa: Who Never Surrenders, which received a National Film Award and Rajat Kamal in 2021.
Her interest in visual storytelling later took her behind the camera. While studying Film and Television Production at Sharda University, she directed the short film Bhram: An Illusion, which received a Best Director award at an international film festival in 2024. She also completed her undergraduate studies with the Vice Chancellor’s Gold Medal.
Bora later moved to Birmingham for postgraduate studies in Mass Media at the University of Birmingham. Her wider experience includes radio acting and presenting with 92.7 BIG FM, stage hosting, filmmaking, painting and 16 years of lawn tennis.
Keeping Assam at the centre
For Bora, Sattriya and Bihu are not simply performance traditions but important expressions of cultural identity. Her stated objective is to increase international visibility for Sattriya, build collaborations and introduce wider audiences to Assam’s classical and folk traditions.
Her journey—from a child performer in Assam to a multidisciplinary artiste based in Britain—has placed Assam’s cultural traditions at the centre of her work. Through dance, cinema and storytelling, she continues to carry the rhythms, narratives and cultural memory of Assam to audiences beyond the state and beyond India.
