TS says NO to Kuchipudi-dancer duo Raja Reddy, Radha Reddy to perform at Ravindra Bharati

Hyderabad, May 17, 2015: Telangana Government has reportedly refused permission for internationally known Kuchipudi-dancer couple Raja Reddy and Radha Reddy for staging a performance at Ravindra Bharati. A news daily has reported that the permission was denied to them with the argument that Kuchipudi dance has nothing to do with Telangana culture and dance forms. Hailing from Adilabad district, the world famous Kuchipidi dancers,Raja Reddy and Radha Reddy and their daughter Yamini Reddy used to perform at Ravindra Bhararti every year with Government encouragement prior to bifurcation. Post-bifurcation, things have changed. The Telangana Government has denied them permission to stage their performance arguing that their dance form , Kuchipudi, has nothing to do with Telangana culture and dance forms, the daily has reported. The irony is that TRS has, at its party headquarters Telangana Bhavan, put up a list of people that made Telangana proud and the list included the names of Raja Reddy and Radha Reddy. What is more interesting to know is that TRS chief KCR had offered TRS ticket to the family asking one of them to contest from Nirmal assembly constituency in Adilabad district in the 2014 elections. The dancer-couple politely refused the offer. Raja Reddy and Radha Reddy were honoured by Centre with Padma Sri in 1984 and Padma Bhushan in 2000. That the TRS Government has denied permission to perform to the couple that made India proud has irked several Telangana artistes, the daily has said.