Nritya Neerajanam to Vempati on birth anniv

Vijayawada: From the days of Siddhendra Yogi to the present era, the Kuchipudi dance tradition has been nurtured and elevated by several legendary gurus. Among them, ‘Padma Bhushan’ Dr Vempati Chinna Satyam stands 5+6as a monumental figure- a visionary who not only preserved the purity of the classical form but also redefined its artistic vocabulary for global audiences.

The 96th birth anniversary celebrations of this illustrious maestro were organised with grandeur on Wednesday evening at the Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao Government College of Music and Dance here under the joint auspices of the Andhra Pradesh Department of Language and Culture, the Amaravati Classical Dance Teachers’ Association, and the college faculty. The celebrations commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by the college principal, C Jyothirmayi, marking an auspicious start to the evening steeped in devotion and artistry. The distinguished guests included Dr Chinta Ravi Balakrishna, Vice-Principal of Kuchipudi Siddhendra Yogi Kalapeetham, along with several eminent personalities from the classical arts fraternity.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Chinta Ravi Balakrishna and Vedantam Radheshyam reminisced about Dr Vempati’s unmatched contribution to Kuchipudi, noting that he had groomed generations of artistes — including acclaimed film personalities — who brought prestige and popularity to the classical art form across the world.

The event was coordinated by ‘Padmasri’ Hemanth, Rayana Srinivas, and A Santosh.