NELLORE: “My aim is to spread the classical dance form Kuchipudi and its parampara and the rich Indian culture across the country and abroad,” asserted GBS Jahnavi of Kavali. Motivated by her grandmother, Jahnavi started learning Kuchipudi under the guidance of Vedantham Sathya Narasimha Sastry at the age of three years. Her parents Usha Rani and Madhusudhan Rao, who hail from Gudivada in Krishna district, settled at Ojili in Nellore. Jahnavi, who hails from a middle-class family, was brought up by her grandmother Jamuna, an aided school teacher, in Kavali, where she did her schooling.
While pursuing her passion for dance with dedication, she also excelled in her studies. Jahnavi did BTech and also got a diploma in dance from an institution in Hyderabad. With hundreds of Kuchipudi dance performances to her credit, the 27-year-old is a Doordarshan B Grade Artiste. She has given Kuchipudi dance performances at several places, including Nellore, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Vijayawada and Chennai, and won acclaim.
She has been honoured with titles like ‘Natya Bala’, ‘Nartana Bala’ and ‘Natya Jhari’ by various cultural organisations. She has also received Ugadi Puraskar, Visishta Natya Puraskar and the National Youth Festival awards for her excellence in Kuchipudi dance. As part of her objective to spread the classical dance form, Jahnavi is imparting training in Kuchipudi to more than 20 students.
“There is a need to preserve the classical dance form with a rich heritage for future generations. Now, youngsters from abroad are evincing interest in learning Kuchipudi, which signifies the greatness of the classical dance form. I am committed to promoting Kuchipudi in a big way,” she averred.