Padma Shri Awardee Gussadi Dance Master Kanaka Raju Dies.

Obituary

Kanaka Raju, a celebrated Gussadi dance master and Padma Shri awardee, passed away at the age of 84 due to age-related health issues in his village of Marlavai, Telangana.


      - Gussadi is a famous folk dance of Telangana.

     

     

Main Points:-   (i) Kanaka Raju, born into the Raj Gond tribe, began learning Gussadi dance at the age of eight and dedicated over four decades to preserving and promoting this traditional dance form, which is performed by unmarried men during the Dandari festival in Telangana.

      (ii) He was honored with the Padma Shri (Art) in 2021 for his contribution to spreading this folk dance globally.

(iii) In 2022, he was appointed as the Chief Dance Master at the Kanaka Raju School of Gussadi Dance in Adilabad, Telangana.

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