TRIBUTE PAID TO KUCHIPUDI LEGEND NATARAJA RAMAKRISHNA

                                                             TRIBUTE PAID
                               TO KUCHIPUDI LEGEND NATARAJA RAMAKRISHNA

    Nataraja Ramakrishna (88), the Kuchipudi Legend passed away on Tuesday,7th June,2011. The dance masestro was admitted to the hospital for treatment of pneumonia and stroke. The last rites will be performed on Wednesday 8th June,2011 by Kala Krishna. He will be buried on the land given to him by the Andra government.
  Ramkrishan was born in Bali,Indonesia, where his parents Damayanti Devi,who hailed from Nalgonda,and Ramamohan Rao,from East Godavari,migrated. At the age of 18, he was given the title of " Nataraja" in Nagpur. Among the awards bestowed upon him were the Padma Shri in 1992, a doctorate from the Andhra University and a Bharata Kala Prapoorna, apart from the NTR state Award. He is most known for reviving the 700 year old dance form" perini Shiva tandavam" He served as chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi.

                                                                                  Prof. John Kurakar