Kuravi Venkata Subrahmanya Prasad

🪔 About

Kuravi Venkata Subrahmanya Prasad is a distinguished Kuchipudi exponent who hails from Kuchipudi village in Andhra Pradesh, the legendary birthplace of the art form. He commenced his training in Kuchipudi at the tender age of six under the tutelage of Guru Vedantam Radhesyam in his native village. His education continued at the Sri Siddhendra Yogi Kalakshetram, where he further honed his skills under the guidance of Vedantam Rathaiah Sarma and Pasumarthy Venugopala Krishna Sarma. In addition to his dance training, Prasad also received instruction in Carnatic music from Pasumarthy Venugopala Krishna Sarma. Prasad is particularly noted for his specialization in female roles within Kuchipudi Yakshagana, a skill he developed through a special training program of the Sangeet Natak Akademi under the mentorship of Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma. He has portrayed various iconic female characters, including Satyabhama in "Bhama Kalapam," Chitralekha in "Usha Parinayam," Leelavati in "Prahalada," and Parvati in "Parvathi Parinayam". While male dancers performing female roles are now a rarity, this was a traditional practice in Kuchipudi when only Brahmin boys practiced the art form. Recognized for his innovative approach, Prasad has incorporated instruments like the tabla alongside the mridangam in his performances, asserting that such additions adhere to the principles of the Natya Shastra. His contributions to the art form were acknowledged with the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Akademi for the year 2011, an award he received in 2013 at the age of 37. Prasad is deeply committed to the preservation and global promotion of Kuchipudi, expressing a strong desire "to save Kuchipudi not only in India but also in the whole world". Awards & Honours: Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2011).