Vedantam Ramalinga Sastry



Vedantam Ramalinga Sastry is an Indian classical dancer in Kuchipudi. .  He was born on June 3, 1963, to Suryanarayana and Sathyavatamma in Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh. He earned fame as a choreographer, writer, dancer, actor and researcher. He won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2012 for his research on Kuchipudi dance form. He is the Principal of Siddhendra Yogi Kuchipudi Kalapeetham.

Education
Ramalinga Sastry completed his SSC in 1979 in his native Kuchipudi. Bachelor's degree in Telugu from Andhra University in 1984 and Master's degree (Telugu) from Osmania University in 1990. He did diploma in Kuchipudi dance from Potti Sriramulu Telugu University. He received his doctorate from Osmania University on "Development of Kuchipudi Drama in Telugu".

Teachers
Ramalinga Sastry learned Kuchipudi from famous dance masters like Vempati Chinasatyam, Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma, Kuchipudi Kulapati Vempati Peda Satyam and Vedantam Radheshyam. He studied literature under the guidance of Gangadhara Rao, Sivunuri Viswanatha Sarma and Ch Subramanya Sarma.

Natyacharya
Ramalinga Sastry worked as a dance teacher in the South-Central Railway, Hyderabad Division from 1989 to 2004. He established "Sri Vedantam Kuchipudi Kala Parishad" and trained hundreds of students, Kuchipudi artists/disciples as dancers and dance teachers. Since 2005, summer training classes have been conducted at Kuchipudi Kalapeeth.

Author
He designed Kuchipudi syllabus for school lessons, degree, post graduate (UG, PG) courses. By June 2021, 126 metaphors (dance ballets) have been written across all Kuchipudi processes. This is an all-time record in Kuchipudi dance history. He has written more than 100 articles on Kuchipudi dance process. Authored books "Kuchipudi Natya Vikasam in Telugu", "Kuchipudi Vyasamanjari", "Gajananiyam", "Brahmana Sarvasvam", "Itanu Bhama".

He wrote many Padaalu on Kuchipudi Ramalingeswara Swamy just like Kshetraya's padaalu. Kuchipudi dance history, which has a history of a thousand years, is divided into eras. The importance of Kuchipudi kriyas has been codified and made into documents.

He revived the process of "Kelika" in Kuchipudi dance (nominal in the 14th century) and composed more than 30 works, many of which were performed. He is also credited with composing and performing over 50 theme songs.

Performer
Ramalinga Sastry designed and performed all kinds of Kuchipudi procedures. Nartanasala, Vinayaka Chaviti, Vedoddharana and Natyaveda are among the 126 Rupakas. He has done hundreds of performances as villains like Duryodhana, Kamsa, Keechaka, Tarakasura, Hiranyakashipu, Ravanasura, Gajasura, Somakasura, supporting characters like Vishnuchittu, Narada, Vipranarayanudu and Buddha.

Choreographer
He choreographed ten Kuchipudi yakshaganaas, many javalis and padaalu. Directed more than 30 dance forms. Ramalinga Sastry himself choreographed and added all the necessary touches to it, directing it and performing with himself as the lead role and performing with his family members and disciples. Kuchipudi Natya has been divided into 9 stages and has given their objectives. He created and composed four important darvus which are introductory darvu, descriptive darvu, santvana darvu and preyodarvu.

Researches
Siddendra Yogi added one in the 13th century to the five darvus mentioned in Bharatamuni Natya Shastra, while Ramalinga Sastry created and composed four more darvus. Combining all these, the system of "Dasavidhadarvulu" became established in Kuchipudi dance. Ramalinga Sastry has divided the thousands of years of Kuchipudi dance history of into eras - Praksiddendra, Siddendra, Kelika, Nritya Nataka, Yakshagana, Bhagavatula Ramayya, Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastry, Vempati Chinasatyam Yugas and explained the dance history of those eras.

Also, in Kuchipudi Natyam, he mentioned nine processes namely Sanskrit Rupakas, Kalapamula, Kelika, Nrityanatakam, Yaksha Gane, Nritya Rupakam, Nritya Natika, Vyastamsam, Ekapatrakelikam and proved their objectives. He was the first Kuchipudi dance guru to write, choreograph and perform extensively in all the above processes. He also wrote "Umakalapamu", the third masterpiece of Kuchipudi dance art. The first one Bhamakalapam written in the 13th century, the second one Gollakalapam in the 18th century and the third one was written by him.

Abroad Performances
Ramalinga Sastry gave Kuchipudi performances in 18 venues during his visit to Syria in 1998. Nartanashala, Srinivasa Kalyanam dance forms were performed in London. Performed at ETA Festival. In 2008, Kuchipudi traveled to the USA and gave many performances.

Awards and Titles

 * Ugadi Award by Government of Andhra Pradesh in 1997 and 2001
 * Awarded Junior Fellowship by the Central Government of India in 1997
 * Guinness World Record for largest Kuchipudi Dance Performance in 2008
 * VRLS-Sangeet Natak Academy.jpgal Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the President of India in 2012
 * Nritya Vidwan Award by the Government of Odisha for services to Kuchipudi dance in 2012
 * KalaRatna Award by Government of Andhra Pradesh in 2018
 * YSR Lifetime Achievement Award for meritorious services as Principal of Sri SiddendraYogi Kuchipudi Kalapeeth in 2021
 * Outstanding Leadership Principal Award by ISA International Conference, New Delhi in 2021 for his distinguished services in the field of education
 * Ghantasala Award on the occasion of Ghantasala Centenary in 2022 by Ghantasala-Balu Memorial Sangeet Kalapeeth at Pamarru
 * 2023 Bharatamuni Award by Sri Sachchidananda Saraswati Swami by Kakinada Scientific Dance Acharya Samakhya on 26th March 2023
 * 2023 Pratibha Award in Dance category for the year 2020 by Potti Sriramulu Telugu University on 31 March 2023
 * PadmaSri K. Shobha Naidu Excellence Award - 2023 by Nataraj Music and Dance Academy at Visakhapatnam on 8 July 2023
 * 2023 Ghantasala award at a function organized by the family of Padmasri Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao on the occasion of 100 years festival at Visakhapatnam Kalabharati venue on 7th October 2023
 * Sri Siddendrayogi Award on 15th October 2023 at Kuchipudi on the occasion of "4th World Kuchipudi Dance Day 2023" jointly organized by Andhra Pradesh State Government Department of Language and Culture, Pottisriramulu Telugu University, Kuchipudi Art Academy, Jayaho Bharatiyam, Save Kuchipudi Artists
 * Kala Ratna - Lifetime Achievement Award at Rajamahendravaram on 30th September, 1st October, 2023 during "Bharatamuni Aradhanotsavam - 2023" by Swar Mahathi Kala Parishad
 * Natya Kaustubha title by "Bharat Kalagrama" International Dance Institute at Bangalore on 18th May 2024
 * Nataratna, Kuchipudi Kalanidhi, Kuchipudi Ratnakara, Nataraja, Kuchipudi Vachaspati etc. received by various government and cultural associations.

An article in the Hindu daily described the guru as a "Kuchipudi Maestro". Addressing him as Kuchipudi maestro after Padma Bhushan China Satyam is another honor for Ramalinga Sastry. This is a proof of the knowledge he has in Kuchipudi.

Family
Ramalinga Sastry wife's name is Venkata DurgaBhavani. She is a Post Graduate in Carnatic Music, Telugu. She is also a music director, singer and gained a considerable reputation in Nattuwangam. Since 1990, along with her husband, she has been collaborating as a key partner in all major performances and various seminars. They have two children. Satya Phani Krishna Dattu (Ghanapathi Krishna Yajurveda), Mohana Satyasrinivasa Vagdevi Prasad (M.A. Kuchipudi Dance, Kuchipudi, Sattvikabhinayam, Yakshaganam, Diploma in Carnatic Music). Eldest son is a teacher of Yajurveda. Elder daughter-in-law Devi Bhavani is a dance artist. The younger son is a choreographer and also the author of "Kuchipudi Karadeepika".