Vempati Venkat dies of cardiac arrest
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Dance fraternity mourns death of Kuchipudi doyen’s son
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Dance fraternity mourns death of Kuchipudi doyen’s son
Vempati Venkat, son of the late Kuchipudi doyen Vempati Chinna Satyam, died of a cardiac arrest at his Chennai residence on Tuesday morning. He was 55.
Venkat is survived by his wife Srimoy and children Lakshmi Kameswari and Aneesh Venkat. Venkat was the secretary of the Chennai-based Kuchipudi Art Academy which was established by his father in 1963 to promote the dance form. He was one among five children of Chinna Satyam.
In 1997, Venkat quit his corporate job to help his father run the academy. He was instrumental in conducting performances in several countries, and helped many young dancers gain recognition by offering them an opportunity to perform abroad.
Vyjayanti Kashi
I have had a long association with Pasumarthy Kesava Prasad. In fact, he was instrumental in making possible my first visit to Kuchipudi village, which made a huge difference to my dance career.
This village in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh was gifted to the Kuchipudi Bhagavata families several centuries ago in recognition and appreciation of their art. Since then, the families here took up the dance form as a profession, practised it with utmost dedication, and propagated it. Sadly, the number of gurus and dancers is dwindling. Nevertheless, some of them have kept the tradition going, despite the many challenges they face.
Tribute to guru Kesava Prasad, the icon of Kuchipudi village
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Pasumarthy Kesava Prasad created a strong bond between the village and the classical dance fraternity
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Pasumarthy Kesava Prasad created a strong bond between the village and the classical dance fraternity
Adjacent to the Bala Tripurasundari temple stands a small dilapidated building that has stood mute witness to the life of Kuchipudi doyen Pasumarthy Kesava Prasad (1952-2021).
This building is where Kesava Prasad lived for the past four decades, teaching and promoting the Kuchipudi dance form that originated in Kuchipudi village, in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh.
Pasumarthy Kesava Prasad