Veernala Jayarama Rao

🪔 About

Veernala Jayarama Rao is a highly esteemed Indian exponent, choreographer, and guru of Kuchipudi, a classical dance form originating from Andhra Pradesh. Born in 1947 in Pithapuram, Andhra Pradesh, India, Rao commenced his formal training in Kuchipudi during his youth at the Siddhendra Kalakshetram in Kuchipudi village. He received initial guidance from prominent gurus Sri Chinta Krishnamoorthy and Sri P.V.G. Krishna Sarma. He further refined his artistry under the renowned maestro Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam in Chennai. Jayarama Rao began his performing career by enacting female roles in traditional Kuchipudi Yakshaganas. In 1969, he relocated to Delhi, where he established himself as a prominent teacher and performer, founding a Kuchipudi school. He co-founded the Kuchipudi Dance Academy in Delhi with his wife, Vanashree Rao, blending the traditional styles he mastered. He is recognized for his significant contributions to popularizing Kuchipudi through national and international festivals, training numerous disciples, and extending the Kuchipudi repertoire with innovative choreography. His performances, often in collaboration with Vanashree Rao, have graced stages in over 60 countries. Beyond performing and teaching, Rao has also served as a member of the Expert Committee on Kuchipudi in the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD Ministry), Government of India, and holds a senior fellowship for his research on the dance form. He is known for his superb compositions and is considered a unique combination of a performer and a teacher, with his movements described as "poetry in motion". Awards & Honours: Padma Shri (2004), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1998), Sahitya Kala Parishad Samman (Delhi State Award) (1996), Andhra Pradesh Samman, Natyaratna Award (2005), Indira Priyadarshini Award (2003), Guru Gangadhar Pradhan Award (2018).