Nataraja Ramakrishna

🪔 About

Nataraja Ramakrishna (1923-2011) was a highly influential Indian classical dancer, choreographer, scholar, and revivalist, celebrated for his pivotal role in resurrecting ancient Telugu dance traditions. Born on March 21, 1923, in Bali, Indonesia, to Telugu parents, he developed an early passion for dance, eventually leaving home to pursue his artistic calling despite familial opposition. He received extensive training from various gurus, including Sukhdev Kartak in Nagpur, Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai for Bharatanatyam, Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastry for Kuchipudi, Naidupeta Rajamma for temple dance, and Pendyala Satyabhama for the Navajanardhana Parijata tradition. He also learned Kathak from Kartik Ram and Kalyandas. At the age of 18, he was conferred the title 'Nataraja' in Nagpur, which he adopted as part of his name. Ramakrishna was instrumental in the revival of Andhra Natyam, a 2,000-year-old spiritual dance form, and the warrior dance Perini Shiva Tandavam, which he reconstructed from temple sculptures and ancient texts. He also played a significant role in advocating for Kuchipudi's recognition as a classical dance form. In 1955, he founded Nritya Niketan in Hyderabad to train aspiring artists and promote classical dances. He served as Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi, organizing initiatives to preserve endangered forms. A prolific scholar, he authored over 45 books on South Indian dance history and techniques, and more than 500 articles. Throughout his career, he trained over 3,000 disciples worldwide, many of whom went on to establish their own institutions. He passed away on June 7, 2011, in Hyderabad. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) (2010), Padma Shri (1992), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1983), Kalaprapoorna (honorary doctorate from Andhra University) (1981), Bharata Kala Prapoorna (Andhra Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi) (1968), Asthana Natyacharya of Andhra Pradesh (1980), Raja-Lakshmi Award (1991), NTR State Award, D. Litt. (honorary, Central University of Hyderabad), Professor Emeritus (Central University of Hyderabad), Kala Saraswathi (1982), Best Natyacharya of South India (1984), Best Research Scholar (1986).