Spreading Indian culture beyond borders

P Padmavathi of Visakhapatnam city is expanding the Dhyan Kendras and Kuchipudi dance to several countries to explain the importance of mental health rather than wealth. She preaches that peaceful mind is a place of heaven and the mind with wavering over the wealth would be a dais of hell. Hailing from a middle class family, she is determined to spread the Indian art and culture beyond borders. Her motive is to spread the fragrance of spirituality and Kuchipudi Dance.

Padmavathi, who completed masters in Kuchipudi dance and Diploma in Yoga from Andhra University, has nurtured her Yoga skills under the guidance of her guru Dr Gopala Krishna of Visakhapatnam. After conducting numerous camps and training sessions in the surroundings and gaining confidence, she aimed at spreading the greatness of Indian culture abroad. She travelled to several countries including Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia and conducted training classes.

She started Padmavathi Yoga and Dance Academy (PYDA) and started explaining how the dance and Yoga would change behavior of an individual. She preaches that dance is not only an art form but also definitely improve health. Initially, the foreigners hesitated to join these Kendrams but gradually they started tasting the sweetness of the Indian art and culture.

Speaking on her activities P Padmavathi says, "People of these countries are workaholics and work for more than 10 hours a day, which causes various side effects to their health. Some of them suffer from tension, fluctuations in blood pressure and sleeplessness and other problems. The Dhyanam, Yoga and Meditation would heal those all ailments and fill peace and pleasantness in their minds and hearts. Slowly people started attending our Yoga classes and experiencing the difference in their health on their own. The professionals like software, even business class people are also attending our classes to learn Yoga, Dhyanam. On the other side, the classical dance also rejoices their minds after a weeklong work burden. Watching movies, playing games are different than our classical Kuchipudi Nrityam. Irrespective of age groups, including elders, they really enjoy our art form and coming forward to join our classes. I feel proud to be the teacher of these foreign students and I enjoy teaching," says Padma with a smile.

PYDA conducted a huge dance festival with 108 dancers in collaboration with Malayisa Telugu Meditation Centre in 2018. The 108 dancers performed in different dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Manipuri, Odissi and others.

During 2014, PYDA with the support of Indian Embassy in Vietnam jointly organised an event of 108 Sun Salutations in which hundreds of people from various cities across the country took part. The event was held to promote inner health, mental strength and individual will power.

As recently as in 2022, the organisation has conducted Autumn Dance Festival in Manchester in United Kingdom with 150 people.