Rama Devi P

🪔 About

Dr. P. Rama Devi is a distinguished Kuchipudi exponent, guru, scholar, choreographer, author, and organizer, widely recognized for her profound contributions to the Indian classical dance form. Born in Bapatla, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, she began her dance journey at the tender age of four. Her initial training in Kuchipudi was under the tutelage of the traditional guru late Mahankali Shrimannaraya garu in Bapatla. Prior to this, she also received two years of Bharatanatyam training in Kerala. After completing her Bachelor's degree, she married cricketer P. Prasanna Kumar and moved to Hyderabad. She later resumed her dance education, earning a Certificate and Diploma in Kuchipudi Dance from Government Music and Dance College, Secunderabad. Her academic pursuits continued, leading to an M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in Kuchipudi Dance, with her doctoral thesis focusing on "Comparative study of Chathurvidhabhinayas between Kathakali and Kuchipudi Yakshagana" from P.S. Telugu University in 2010. She is currently pursuing a D.Lit from Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Mysore. In 1989, Dr. Rama Devi established her own institution, "Sri Sai Nataraja Academy of Kuchipudi Dance," in Secunderabad, with the aim of propagating Kuchipudi and training new generations of dancers. The academy has since expanded with branches in Calicut (Kerala), Nagpur (Maharashtra), and Philadelphia (USA). She is an 'A' Grade artiste from Doordarshan and has choreographed 30 ballets, penned nine dance ballets and five songs in the Kuchipudi tradition, and authored six books on the dance form. Her scholarly work includes numerous articles in art magazines and newspapers, and she conceived an e-book CD titled "Natyasastra in a Nutshell." Dr. Rama Devi has also played a significant role in reviving traditional Kuchipudi items like Gollakalapam and Dadinamma Kalapam, after nearly 75 years, with the support of gurus Sri Bhagavathula Sethuram and Pasumarthy Seshubabu. Her academic engagements extend internationally, as she serves as a Kuchipudi dance professor at the University of Silicon Andhra, California, USA, and ARIA University, California, USA, teaching Master's and Diploma programs. She is also an Adjunct Professor, guiding Ph.D. scholars at Alliance University, Bangalore, and Vedic Wellness University, Bangalore. Dr. Rama Devi has trained over 1000 students, many of whom are now teaching Kuchipudi across India and abroad. Her niece, Nivedita, is also a Kuchipudi dancer who has performed with her. Awards & Honours: Kala Ratna Hamsa Award (2026), National Tagore Fellowship (2026), Kerala State Sangeet Natak Academy's “Kalasri” Award, Senior Fellowship from Ministry of Culture, New Delhi (2002), Malabar Sukumaran Bhagavathar memorial award (2021), Navarasa Natya Prapurna, PANORAMA OF DANCE, Nrittiya Kala Choodai, Kala Subba Rao Smaraka Puraskaram, Durgabai Deshmukh, Lifetime Achievement, Badam Sarojini Devi Award, Pancha Ratna Mahila Award, Life Time Achievement Award by Yuvakalavahini, Geeta Govind Samman.