Vedantam Venkata Naga Chalapathi

🪔 About

Dr. Vedantam Venkata Naga Chalapathi Rao is a distinguished Indian classical dancer and guru of Kuchipudi, hailing from the illustrious Vedantam family, which boasts a 14th-century 'Natya Parampara' in Kuchipudi village, Andhra Pradesh. Born on August 25, 1975, he began his dance journey at the tender age of five, receiving initial training from his father, the renowned Guru Vedantam Rattayya Sarma. His education continued under his paternal uncles Vedantam Raghavayya and Vedantam Radhesyam, and he received advanced training from legendary gurus Vempati Chinna Satyam and Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma. He further honed his artistry with a Post Graduate degree in dance from Potti Sriramulu Telugu University in Hyderabad, where he was also a gold medal research scholar. A versatile performer, Chalapathi Rao is celebrated for his mastery of both male and female roles. He is particularly acclaimed for his quintessential female impersonation (Stri Vesham), notably as Satyabhama in "Bhama Kalapam," a role he first performed publicly in 1996. Uniquely, he is known for his "roopanuroopa prakriya," performing both a female and a male role in the same program. His powerful portrayals include masculine characters like Hiranyakashipu in "Bhakta Prahalada" and Bali Chakravarthy in "Ksheerasagara Madanam." His extensive career has seen him perform at prestigious dance festivals across India, including Khajuraho and Ananya Dance Festivals, and internationally in the US (with Vempati's troupe for over 70 shows), China, and Japan (as a nattuvannar on an ICCR sponsored tour). For his significant contributions to Kuchipudi, he was honored with the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2006, becoming the first Kuchipudi artist to receive this award. Dedicated to propagating the art form, Vedantam Venkata Naga Chalapathi Rao established Kuchipudi Kalaniketan in Vijayawada for teaching and practice. He also serves as the Secretary and Founder of the Kuchipudi Heritage Arts Society, an organization committed to preserving the purity and scholarly future of Kuchipudi. He has mentored students like Dr. Kiran Vedantam and contributes to the discourse on Kuchipudi through writings for local papers and participation in seminars. Awards & Honours: Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2006).