"When scorned by Banobihari Maiti who said that Oriyas didn’t know how to dance, Kelucharan remarked:

"It got into my heart that I will do more for the dance of Orissa; learn, study, and if I’m born in Orissa and have Oriya blood, I will definitely show what Odissi is. I have always considered Banobihari Maiti to be my guru because he inspired me to dedicate myself to Odissi dance, even though he taught me in a negative way."