About Us
Dhirana is the University of Pittsburgh's annual Indian classical dance competition. It is a nonprofit organization and all proceeds of the competition go to the Birmingham Free Clinic of Pittsburgh, which provides free medical care for Pittsburgh's underserved population. Students at the University of Pittsburgh began the tradition of hosting a national, intercollegiate competition when Nrityamala (Pitt's Indian classical dance team) placed first at Laasya 2011. As champions, the team won the honor of hosting Laasya 2012 on their campus. With strong support and attendance from the Pittsburgh community and enthusiastic involvement from Pitt students, Laasya 2012 was a resounding success. Unhappy to see the traveling competition leave its city, Nrityamala and students at the University of Pittsburgh created Dhirana to foster Indian classical dance interest in their community. This competition provides collegiate classical dance teams with a platform to showcase their talents during an unforgettable weekend experience. We are so excited for our fourteenth anniversary show, Dhirana 2026!
