Brijmohan Mishra (Hindi: बृजमोहन मिश्र) popularly known as Pandit Birju Maharaj (Hindi: पंडित बिरजू महाराज)(born February 4, 1938) is the leading exponent of the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin gharana of Kathak dance in India. He is a descendant of the legendary Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, including his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj. Even though dancing is his first love, he also has an excellent command over Hindustani classical music and is an accomplished vocalist as well.[1] He took Kathak to new heights by choreographing new Kathak dance dramas.He is also the founder of kalashram. He has toured extensively across the globe, given thousands of performances and held hundreds of workshops for kathak students After working along with his uncle, Shambhu Maharaj at Bhartiya Kala Kendra, later the Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, he remained head of the latter, for several years, till his retirement in 1998 when he opened his own dance school, Kalashram, also in Delhi.Birju Maharaj was born in the house of noted Kathak exponent, Jagannath Maharaj, popularly known as Acchan Maharaj of Lucknow Gharana, who served as court dancer in Raigarh princely state.[3] Birju was trained by his uncles, Lachhu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj and his father, and he gave his first recital at the age of seven. On 20 May 1947, his father died when he was nine .[4] After a few years of struggle, his family moved to Delhi.