Andhra Pradesh will perhaps be the first State in the country to make learning of the traditional Kuchipudi dance mandatory in all State syllabus schools, including privately-operated institutions from the coming academic year.
A proposal to this effect has been put forth by the government after Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his keenness to promote Telugu culture through such moves. “There is a proposal to make theory classes on Kuchipudi compulsory while practical classes will be left to the choice of students of VI to VIII classes. For students opting for ‘practical’ classes, a four-year diploma certificate will be given at the end of the course,” said K. Sasibabu, Deputy Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Youth, Tourism and Culture Department. Vedantam Ramalinga Sastry, Principal of Siddhendra Yogi Kuchipudi Kalakshetram in Kuchipudi, is said to have prepared the contents of the lesson, which have been sent for the approval of the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT).
There is a proposal to make theory classes on Kuchipudi compulsory while practical classes will be left to the choice of students of VI to VIII classes
K. Sasibabu
Deputy Secretary, Youth, Tourism and Culture Department