Deepika Reddy
A Kuchipudi dancer and teacher, the first woman to chair the Telangana Sangeet Natak Akademi, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Deepika Reddy has been dancing Kuchipudi on stage for half a century. In 2026 she was named for the Padma Shri in the field of art, from Telangana [1].
A dancing family
Reddy was born on 15 September 1965 into a family with three generations of classical dancers, and gave her first performance in 1976 [2]. She trained under the Kuchipudi guru Vempati Chinna Satyam [2].
Performer
She has danced at festivals around the world, including the Festival of India in Berlin, the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia, the Sri Lankan Parliament and festivals in Bangkok and South Korea, as well as at Rashtrapati Bhavan [2]. Her productions keep Kuchipudi’s grammar while taking on new subjects, from caring for nature to tributes to health workers during Covid-19 [2].
Teacher
She founded the Deepanjali Institute of Kuchipudi, where she has taught thousands of students, and makes sure no talented student is turned away for lack of money [2]. She also takes the dance into schools through lecture-demonstrations and workshops [2].
Reddy was the first woman chairperson of the Telangana Sangeet Natak Akademi and has served on the governing council of the national Sangeet Natak Akademi [2]. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award and honorary citizenship of Miyoshi, Japan [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Deepika Reddy — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
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