Pasumarti Rattaiah Sarma

🪔 About

Pasumarti Rattaiah Sarma, also known as Rathiah Sarma or Rattayya Sarma, is a distinguished figure and veteran artist in the Indian classical dance form of Kuchipudi, particularly renowned for his contributions to the Kuchipudi Yakshagana tradition. Born in 1940 in Kuchipudi village, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India, he hails from a traditional Telugu Brahmin family. His parents were Pasumarthi Viswanatham and Balatripura Sundari. Sarma began his formal education with Sanskrit at the age of seven, which also marked his entry into the rigorous training of Kuchipudi Yakshagana dance. His father, Pasumarthi Viswanatham, was his first guru. He subsequently trained under his uncle, Vedantham Sathya Narayana Sarma, a celebrated performer and teacher, undergoing twelve years of Gurukula training. He also received tutelage from other esteemed masters including Vedantam Parvatisam, Chinta Krishna Murthy, and Vempati Chinna Satyam. His career as a performer saw him initially specializing in female roles before transitioning to leading male roles and eventually becoming a troupe leader. He is acclaimed for his character acting, portraying diverse roles such as Prahlada, Narasimha Murthi, Lava and Kusa, Narada, Sreekrishna, Leelavathi, Sathyabhama, Usha, Chithralekha, Parvathi, Hiranyakasipa, Banasura, Aniruddha, Siva, Sri Rama, Srinivasa, and Rangasani. Sarma has performed in numerous dance ballets, including Bhamakalapam, Mohini, Rukmangada, Usha Parinayam, Sasirekha Parinayam, and Ramanatakam. Pasumarti Rattaiah Sarma commenced his teaching career at Kuchipudi Kalakshetra in 1969. He is dedicated to preserving and propagating the traditional Yakshagana form of Kuchipudi, teaching a committed group of young students from his home in Kuchipudi village. He is considered one of the last living custodians of this tradition. His contributions have been recognized with the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2006 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna) for 2024-2025, which was conferred on August 13, 2026. Awards & Honours: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006), Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna) (2025).