This news was perceived by the artists, the gurus and the connoisseurs as a greatest loss to the Kuchipudi art form. The recipient of the third highest civilian award- the Padma Bhushan, Vempati’s dedication towards Kuchipudi was evident through his magnetic choreographies and many noteworthy disciples that he has shaped over the years. He can rightly be called the Vishvakarma of this divine art form, owing to the beautiful structure and framework that he had laid to the Kuchipudi tradition without sacrificing its purity. He was the person whose sole efforts made the Central Government recognize Kuchipudi as a classical dance form. Hailing from the small village named Kuchipudi, Vempati established the Kuchipudi Art Academy at Madras in 1963 with the goal of teaching this traditional art form. This Godfather’s struggle in transforming Kuchipudi from merely a dramatic tradition into a classical dance form truly indicated the renaissance of this art that enjoys an Indian classical dance form status now. He toured numerous countries around the world with his students performing bounty of ballets that earned him great accolades. Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, “Master garu” as he is fondly called, has indeed left behind with the dance fraternity; a great responsibility of carrying over the Kuchipudi art form that which has had a rebirth through him. Though his physical presence can hardly be felt in this world, Vempati Chinna Satyam has found a space for himself in the annals of the cultural tradition of Andhra Pradesh.
