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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{BLP sources|date=July 2010}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2013}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = K. Uma Rama Rao<br />
| image = A portrait of Shri K.Uma Rama Rao who will be presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Kuchipudi Dance by the President Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam in New Delhi on October 26, 2004.jpg<br />
| caption = in 2004<br />
| image_size=<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date |df=yes|1938|07|04}} <br />
| birth_place = [[Visakhapatnam]], India {{flagicon|India}}<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|8|27|1938|7|4}}<br />
| birth_name= Uma Maheswari <br />
| awards = Kala Neerajanam, Sri Kala Poorna, Pratibha Puraskar, Sangeet Natak Akadmi Award.<br />
}}<br />
'''K. Uma Rama Rao''' ({{lang-te|శ్రీమతి డాక్టర్ ఉమా రామా రావు}} born '''Uma Maheshwari''' on 4 July 1938 – 27 August 2016) <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2016-08-28/Kuchipudi-doyenne-passes-away/250871|title = Kuchipudi doyenne passes away|date = 28 August 2016}}</ref> was an Indian [[Kuchipudi]] dancer, [[choreographer]], research scholar, author and dance teacher.<ref>[[#Ko|Kothari, p. 11]]</ref> She was also the Founder & Director of Lasya Priya Dance Academy, established in 1985 in [[Hyderabad, India]].<ref>[http://www.narthaki.com/info/profiles/profil27.html Profile: K Uma Rama Rao] ''Narthaki'' website.</ref><br />
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In 2003, she was awarded the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] for proficiency in [[Kuchipudi]] by India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sangeetnatak.org/sna/awardeeslist.htm|title=SNA: List of Akademi Awardees|publisher=[[Sangeet Natak Akademi]] Official website|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217185616/http://www.sangeetnatak.org/sna/awardeeslist.htm|archivedate=17 February 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> She is a recipient of the National Senior Fellowship bestowed by the Department of Culture, Government of India through the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]].<br />
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==Early life and education==<br />
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[[File:Umaramarao Dancing 1.jpg|thumb|Uma Rama Rao in her early career|left]]<br />
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She was born on 4 July 1938 as "Uma Maheswari" to Dr. V. V.Krishna Rao and Sowbhagyam in a 'Vaddadi' family from [[Visakhapatnam]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]]. Encouraged by her family, that has a background of distinguished scholars with a keen interest in [[literature]], music and dance, she started training in dance from the age of 5 years from gurus like Acharya P.V. Narasimha Rao, [[Padmasri]] Dr. Nataraja Rama Krishna, Brahmasri Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastri, Guru Pakkiriswami Pillai and Guru C.R .Acharya in [[Kuchipudi]], [[Bharata Natyam]] and Ritual Dance traditions. She became proficient in theoretical and practical aspects of these ancient traditional art forms.<br />
In her early years, along with her sister Sumathy Kaushal, she performed on various occasions in several places under the personal guidance of her [[guru]]s. During this period 1953 and 55, she passed examinations in Classical Music and Dance, conducted by the then [[Madras]] Government. Later with the blessings of her [[guru]] mainly, Dr. Nataraja Rama Krishna. she had taken up teaching to pass on this tradition to younger generation.<br />
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She was a post graduate in Economics from [[Osmania University]], [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]].<br />
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==Performances==<br />
Uma choreographed a number of solo items, dance features, dance dramas and traditional [[Yakshagana]]s, based on the [[lyrics]] of great composers of yester years and contemporary writers of today, with innovative spirit, which brought her laurels. Her motto is to bring out old traditional literary gems to lime light and give them a new outlook, without deviating from the original traditional structure with their aesthetic, philosophical and spiritual values. To mention a few traditional plays Sri [[Thyagaraja]]'s Nauka Charitra, [[Prahlada]] Bhakti Vijayam,King Shahaji's Sankara and [[Vishnu]] Pallaki Seva prabandhams, [[Vighneswara]] Kalyanam, [[Narayana]] Theertha's Sadhvi [[Rukmini]], Matrubhutayya's Parijatapaharanam, Kakuturi Padmavati's [[Mandakini (actress)|Mandakini]] and [[Shiva|Siva]] [[Katyayani]] dance features like Viswadeepam,Pancha Nadeeyam, Swara raga Nartanam of [[Padma Bhushan]] Dr. C. Narayana reddy, [[Telugu people|Telugu]] Velugulu, Medha, Medha Vikas on computers, which showed her multifaceted choreographic talent and her scholarly knowledge in the subject.<br />
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==Teaching career==<br />
With this background, she served Sri [[Tyagaraja]] Government college of music and Dance in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] as a Senior Lecturer in Dance from 1969 to 1988 and trained students in certificate, Diploma and Degree courses in [[Bharata Natyam]]. Consequently, she had taken up the responsibility of heading the Department of Dance in the capacity of Associate Professor in [[Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University]], [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]].<br />
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To guide art students for research and other activities in the Dance field, she had submitted her thesis on '[[Yakshagana]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050404201741/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/01/07/stories/2005010702490900.htm Yakshagana research] Hindu news</ref> Prabandhas of King [[Shahaji]]-11 ' -(a Maharashtrian who ruled [[Thanjavur]] from 1684 to 1712 A.D and composed 20 [[Yakshagana]]s -dance dramas in [[Telugu language]] )to [[Telugu University]] and obtained PhD degree along with a gold medal in 1994.<br />
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Some of her famous disciples are, Dr. Alekhya Punjala (HOD of Dance Department at Telugu University),<ref>[http://kuchipudinotes.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/channel-6-interviews-dr-alekhya-punjala/ Alekhya]</ref> Jyothi Lakkaraju, Madhuri Kishore, Padma Chebrolu, Pallavi Kumar, Phani Jayanthi Sen many more.<ref>[http://kuchipudi.siliconandhra.org/artist.html Few disciples of Uma Rama Rao]</ref><br />
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===Lasya Priya Dance Academy===<br />
She established ''Lasya Priya'', a dance institution in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], in 1985, which imparts training in [[Kuchipudi]] and [[Bharata Natyam]] classical dance traditions in theoretical and practical aspects and prepares them for different levels of State Government and University examinations. Lasya Priya is an affiliated study center of Indira Gandhi National Open University.<ref>[http://www.ignou.ac.in/divisions/rsd/tdd01.html IGNOU Study Centers]</ref><br />
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==Awards and honours==<br />
She received many awards and Honours in recognition of her dedication, commitment and service towards art of Dance. Worth mentioning are<br />
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* Kala Neerajanam from Government of [[Andhra Pradesh]].<br />
* Best Teacher award from Government of [[Andhra Pradesh]].<br />
* Sri Kala Poorna from [http://annamacharya.net Saint Annamacharya project of North America (SAPNA).]<br />
* Pratibha Puraskar from [[Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University]], [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]].<br />
* [[Sangeet Natak Academi]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050126120107/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/11/13/stories/2004111303000300.htm Sangeet Natak Acedemy] Hindu News</ref> from the hands of Sri [[Kalam]], the President of India on 26 October 2004 at [[Vigyan Bhavan]], New Delhi<br />
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==Works==<br />
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[[File:Dr. Uma Rao.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Dr. Uma Rama Rao]] with Kuchupudi Dancer '''Aparna Krovvidi''' at HICC, Hyderabad on Event of Silicon Andhra 2nd International Kuchipudi Dance Convention Date: 25 December 2010.]]<br />
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* ''Kuchipudi Bharatam of Kuchipudi Dance: South Indian Classical Dance Tradition''. Sri Satguru Publications, 1992. {{ISBN|81-7030-291-9}}.<br />
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Lately [[Dr. Uma Rama Rao]] attended the Historic 2nd International Kuchipudi Dance Convention on 24, 25, 26 December 2010 at HICC and [[G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium]] [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], where around 2,800 [[Kuchipudi]] Dancers, including 200+ Natya Gurus made [[Guinness Book of World Records]]. Her presence made a blessing event, she directly inspired, encouraged and blessed many students to let long live the cultural dance [[Kuchipudi]].<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
* {{cite book|last=Kothari|first=Sunil |authorlink=Sunil Kothari|author2=Avinash Pasricha |title=Kuchipudi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ibPELNiEhKwC&q=Uma+Rama+Rao&pg=PA225|year=2001|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=81-7017-359-0|ref=Ko}}<br />
* {{cite book|last=Charsley|first=S. R. |author2=Laxmi Narayan Kadekar |title=Performers and their arts: folk, popular and classical genres in a changing India|year=2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-40113-5|ref=Ca}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
{{commons category|Uma Rama Rao}}<br />
* [http://www.lasyapriyadanceacademy.org/home.html Lasya Priya Dance Academy, website]<br />
* [http://www.fullhyderabad.com/profile/locations/506/dance-schools-in-hyderabad-india/banjara-hills/lasya-priya-dance-academy-uma-rama-rao Ishana Samhita]<br />
* [http://annamacharya.net/events09.html SAPNA]<br />
* [http://siliconandhra.org SiliconAndhra]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Uma Rama}}<br />
[[Category:Kuchipudi dancers]]<br />
[[Category:1938 births]]<br />
[[Category:2016 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Artists from Visakhapatnam]]<br />
[[Category:Indian dance teachers]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]<br />
[[Category:Osmania University alumni]]<br />
[[Category:Performers of Indian classical dance]]<br />
[[Category:Indian classical choreographers]]<br />
[[Category:Dancers from Andhra Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Indian female classical dancers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women choreographers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian choreographers]]<br />
[[Category:Women educators from Andhra Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]<br />
[[Category:Educators from Andhra Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Women artists from Andhra Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century women educators]]</div>imported>Citation bot