Gaddam Padmaja Reddy

Kuchipudi exponent and cultural revivalist with global acclaim

Padma Shri Dr. Gaddam Padmaja Reddy

Internationally acclaimed Kuchipudi dancer and visionary founder of KAKATIYAM – Telangana Dance, a sculptural-rooted form revived from Kakatiya heritage. Padma Shri Dr. Gaddam Padmaja Reddy is one of India’s leading classical dancers, choreographers, and teachers. Trained in Kuchipudi, she has presented more than 3,000 performances across over 100 countries, creating dance-dramas that weave together mythological narratives and contemporary social themes.

With Kakatiyam, she takes her work further—from performer to researcher and dance historian.

Her contributions include:

Designing a 4-year Kakatiyam syllabus under the banner of Telangana Natyam, turning this revival into a formal training system.
Choreographing the Kakatiyam ballet series, where she often appears as Queen Rudrama Devi, bringing Kakatiya history and aesthetics to life.
Re-establishing Kakatiyam as a distinctive Telangana dance form rooted in authentic sources—temple sculpture, inscriptions, and classical treatises.

Her vision is to ensure that the dance language of Kakatiya Telangana is not locked in museums and history books, but lives again through trained bodies, new compositions and global performance.

Vision:

Telangana’s Own Classical-Style Identity

Kakatiyam – Telangana Dance is ultimately a cultural statement:

That Telangana’s temples hold a complete, sophisticated dance vocabulary.
That this vocabulary can be respectfully decoded, systematised and taught.
That Telangana deserves a named, recognisable dance identity alongside other classical forms.

Through performances, workshops, and structured teaching, Kakatiyam aims to:

Preserve Kakatiya heritage,
Inspire new generations of dancers,
And place Telangana Natyam firmly on the world map of Indian dance traditions.