Pasumarthy Venugopala Krishna Sarma

🪔 About

Pasumarthy Venugopala Krishna Sarma was a highly revered Indian classical dancer, guru, and a prominent figure in the Kuchipudi tradition. Born in Kuchipudi village, Krishna district, he received his foundational training in dance-drama from eminent gurus Chinta Venkataramayya and Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastri. He also delved into the intricacies of Carnatic music. Sarma distinguished himself as a versatile performer, particularly excelling as a female impersonator (stri vesham) in traditional Kuchipudi yakshaganas and dance-dramas. His career saw him play numerous lead roles and perform as a sutradham for many years with esteemed groups like the Venkatarama Natya Mandali and Shri Siddhendra Kalakshetram. Beyond his performing prowess, Sarma was an adept teacher and a guiding force in the Kuchipudi art form. He served as the principal of Shri Siddhendra Kalakshetram, an institution he was instrumental in establishing in Mavva Mandal, Krishna. Through his dedicated teaching, he trained a vast number of students, many of whom went on to become stalwarts in the field, thereby ensuring the continuity and enrichment of the Kuchipudi tradition. His innovative experiments in Kuchipudi, particularly concerning Yakshagan patterns, presentations, and aharyas, significantly contributed to the dance style. Sarma's contributions extended to documentaries like 'Prahlada' and 'Bhama Kalapam' in 1972 for the Central Films Division, and a short film 'Yamini' for the Delhi Centre. He also choreographed and staged several dance-dramas, including 'Bhakta Prahalada', 'Rama Natakam', 'Usha Pariyanam', and 'Parvathi Parinayam'. Pasumarthy Venugopala Krishna Sarma passed away on June 3, 2012, at the age of 86. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), Kalaratna (2012).