Andhra Natyam is  a classical dance form of Telugu people with all the requisite qualifications for its recognition as a major dance form of India by the Ministry of Culture, Govt.of India.  It is a long pending demand of Telugu people irrespective of State in which they reside. It is a traditional dance form presently categorised as a "folk dance " by Govt.of India. It is prevalent and practised since 2nd century AD. It has a great legacy of its own promoted by kings who ruled telugu speaking areas of Southern parts of India. It has historical evidences of its grandeour and legacy through rock edicts, sculpture and literature well preserved even till date. It has its own distinct repertoire from other dance forms like kuchipudi, Bharata natyam etc., It is a "Lasya form" of classical dance belonging to" Nattuva mela " tradition and widely performed and popular in its different forms: The first one is "Devadasi tradition" propagated by Devadasis or dedicated dancers who used to perform dances only in temples to please the dieties. They were supported by public and kings. The second one is "Darbar dance" performed by "Rajanarthakees" in kings darbars supported with high status by the kings. The third one is the "Bhaama kalapamu" performed in open areas in villages and towns for the benefit of common people. Padmasri Kalaprapoorna  Dr.Nataraja Ramakrishna garu is the doyen of this art form and he christined it as "Andhra Natyam" in 1970 after a thorough research and with the consensus of all major exponents and gurus of all major dance forms by combining all the three integral parts of Andhra Natyam stated  above to facilitate them to be performed on stage suitable for the present age.  Ever since then thousands of students and hundreds of dance gurus following Andhra Natyam dance tradition and propagating it far and wide in all telugu speaking areas of India and foreign countries like USA, UK, Gulf, Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius etc.,  Ever since then it is demanded by all telugu art and culture lovers, to recognize this classical dance form as a distinct major dance by the Ministry of culture to get benefit of patronage from Govt.and scholarships for students and grants for research and documentation and place and representation in national and international dance festivals for Andhra Natyam. 

I am fortunate to have Smt. Denduluri Padma Mohan as my better half who is an exponent of Andhra Natyam being a direct disciple of Dr Nataraja Ramakrishna Garu for more than 15 years and continues to promote this art form with heart and soul  under the able guidance of Guru Kala klrishna garu, the senior most disciple of Dr. Ramakrishna garu. Andhra Natyam is a part of India's cultural heritage and is languishing for recognition and support of Govt.of India and the State governments. If not protected and promoted, this art form may perish due to the growing influence of western and other disruptive modern dances and the students following Andhra Natyam are discriminated by the Goverment by not recognizing it as a major dance form and according a specific code number by the Ministry of Culture and depriving them to apply for benefits given to other major dance forms. It is a demand pending for more than 30 years and the departed guru Dr Ramakrishna gari last wish is to get recognition for Andhra Natyam. It is a public interest petition to preserve our cultural heritage and pass is on to posterity..