IPM Oct 15-Nov 14 2019

L-R: Tulasiram Ravuri, Meena Ravuri, Madhavi Chimata (APTA), Gurus Kaushalya reddy, Padmabhushans Drs.Raja Radha Reddy, Anand Kuchibhotla (Silicon Andhra), Veeru Uppala

About the Gurus: Drs. Raja & Radha Reddy, known as India’s legendary kuchipudi dancing couple, are the world-renowned chore- ographers and gurus who have given new dimension to the age-old art of Kuchipudi dance. Their illustrious career, spanning over five decades, has gained them a reputation for rare excellence. They have travelled to more than 95 countries, showcasing their rich culture and talent to numerous Kings, Queens, Princess, Presidents and other dignitaries all across the world. About the Artist: Sindhu Shivani Ravuri is a UC Berkeley undergraduate senior, double majoring in Bioengineering and Molecular Biology at UC Berkeley, California. Her goal is to become a fetal surgeon. Following her rangapravesam, she is determined to advancing kuchipudi in its purest form, following her gurus’ foot- steps. In the past, Sindhu received many national and inter- national awards for her dance, both in classical and semi- classical formats. She is the recipient of International Certificate of Recognition from UNESCO and a “Letter of Recommendation” from the Director of UNESCO. She was recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Dance at the Santa Clara County Salute to Youth/Hall of Fame. Additionally, she was a member of her high school’s Junior Varsity and Varsity dance teams, as well as the youngest performer in the history San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. With her kuchipudi gurus, she performed for the president and the Parliament of India and also performed in Russia and Germany.

event of a lifetime. Sindhu could not let them down. “I could not afford to mess up, for them,” she said. “I love my mother immensely, and this art form is only in my life because of her unending devotion, dedication, strength, tenacity, and vision. As long as she was satiated, I would be too.” Moreover, at the end of the ran- gapravesam, Carlos Carvajal, artistic director of renowned San

Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, spoke for her. He remembered when Sindhu performed at the festival at the tender age of 10, becoming the youngest soloist and Kuchipudi per-

former in the show’s history. He bought with him Sindhu’s audition tape for that show. “Watching Sindhu’s dance is like going into a candy store – you simply can’t choose your favorite amidst all the delicious flavors,” he said. While she was glad the performances resonated in the audience’s memory, Sindhu can only remember what her gurus said. “She has to dedicate herself to dance now,” said guru Kaushalya Reddy. “She can’t let her talent go waste.” And, Sindhu says, she never will again.

(More glimpses of teh evening on Pg.22 and 23)

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