CHENNAI: The Siva Foundation, an institution for Kuchipudi led by Madhavapeddi Murthy, will celebrate its silver jubilee on March 1 at the Narada Gana Sabha. As the Foundation is gearing up to confer artistes with awards for their work in the field of arts and culture, as part of the ceremony, CE catches up with Murthy to find out what’s in store. A student of Kuchipudi doyen Padma Bhushan recipient late Vempati Chinna Satyam, Murthy shares that the pillars of his guru, vocalists DV Kanakadurga and P Sangeetha Rao, will be awarded the Lifetime Achievers’ Awards. The aim, he says, is to honour the artistes who have been instrumental in shaping his journey.
“I started learning under Chinna Satyam about four decades back. That’s when I was introduced to these vocalists. They used to accompany my guru. I learned several nuances of music from the duo. I also remember learning light-classical music from Sangeetha Rao sir. They have shaped me as an artiste. This is a landmark year for Sangeetha Rao as he turned 100. This makes the award more special,” says Murthy. Other senior artistes including Manju Bhargavee and Narthaki Natraj will be awarded. “This is just the beginning. The silver jubilee celebrations will continue throughout the year.
We will host senior artistes from across art forms and several workshops will be conducted. This way, students and the public will be exposed to all kinds of art and will have a platform for holistic learning,” he says. Dancer, actress and politician Hema Malini, who has been an integral part of Murthy’s artistic journey, will preside as the chief guest. Performances will be staged by Madurai Muralidharan’s Bharatanatyam troupe, Mohiniattam dancer Gopika Varma’s troupe, Archana Murali’s Odissi troupe and Murthy’s students. The programme will be held on March 1, 4.30 pm at Narada Gana Sabha. Entry is free.