Vedantam Radheshyam, a doyen of Yakshagaanam, who was selected for the Sangeet Natak Academy’s Akademy Puraskar-2014, sets his aim at promoting Kuchipudi dance in the neighbouring state of Karnataka by sharing his academic expertise. The Karnataka government has roped in the guru to revise an official textbook on Kuchipudi dance by appointing him as the chairman of the four-member dance expert team for the academic task.
Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday, Mr. Radheshyam confirmed that the official textbook to be prescribed for various courses of Kuchipudi dances in Karnataka would be ready by the academic year 2016-17.
“The textbook, also meant for Post Graduate courses in Kuchipudi dances, will have a few chapters on Yakashaganam, a dance drama. The task of revising the official textbook, which was earlier prepared by stalwarts in Kuchipudi village, is a great honour for me”, said Mr. Radheshyam, a guest faculty member at Hyderabad Central University.
Inspiration to young generation
“Bringing out a well versed textbook on Kuchipudi for our neighbouring State of Karnataka is a real treat to the Kuchipudi gurus and the dance. It’s an opportunity to share the academic knowledge to promote the classical dance”, said Mr. Radheshyam, who served as Senior Lecturer at the Sri Siddhendra Yogi Kuchipudi Kalapeetam here.
On selection for the Academy Puraskar-2014, Mr. Radheshyam feels that the recognition by the Sangeet Natak Academy would inspire the present generation to choose the dance form as a career.
The dance village on Saturday celebrated the recognition for the guru, who was flooded with compliments from his own fraternity from across the country.
