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Kuchipudi dancer Anuradha Nehru wins 2025 Heritage Award
Anuradha Nehru, founder of Kalanidhi Dance, won the Heritage Award for her dedication to preserving and expanding Kuchipudi in the U.S.
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Anuradha Nehru / Courtesy Photo
Anuradha Nehru, the founder and artistic director of Kalanidhi Dance School and Company in Virginia, was honored with the prestigious Heritage Award by the Maryland State Arts Council.
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) announced the winners of the 2025 Heritage Awards on Feb. 10 through its traditional arts program, Maryland Traditions.
Recognizing long-term achievement in the traditional arts, the program accepts nominations annually in three categories: Person or People, Place, and Tradition. Six awards were given this year, each including a $10,000 grant.
MSAC Chair Ruby Lopez Harper said, “This year’s Heritage Award winners show us that Maryland’s cultural fabric is made up of traditions from around the corner and around the world. We’re pleased to recognize their work with this honor and so glad these artists choose to call Maryland home.”
The Heritage Awards, established in 2007, are given annually in honor of Dr. Alta Schrock, a distinguished community leader from Garrett County who dedicated her life to supporting traditional arts in Appalachian Maryland and beyond.
This recognition marks yet another milestone in Nehru’s celebrated career as a Kuchipudi dancer, choreographer, artistic director, and teacher.
Kalanidhi Dance shared the exciting news on Instagram and said, "We are extremely pleased to announce that our Founding Artistic Director, Anuradha Nehru, has been selected for the prestigious and competitive Heritage Award given by the Maryland State Arts Council. This is the latest highlight in an illustrious and celebrated career as a Kuchipudi dancer, choreographer, artistic director, and teacher!"
Kuchipudi, the dance form to which Anuradha Nehru has devoted her life, traces its origins to the 17th century when Siddhendra Yogi codified and popularized it.
Nehru is a direct disciple of Guru Chinna Satyam and has carried forward his vision, playing a significant role in Kuchipudi’s global revival and expansion.
Despite facing biases in the United States, where Western dance forms often receive more attention and funding, Nehru remained steadfast in her mission.
For the first 15 years, she nurtured Kuchipudi in Maryland without any financial support from local, state, or national arts organizations. Through her dedication, she has transformed the teaching and performance of Kuchipudi, opening it up to a broader Indian-American community rather than limiting it to the traditional familial transmission of knowledge.
Her impact has been widely recognized. She has previously been honored by the Governor of Maryland for her contributions to the arts and has received support from the Maryland State Arts Council.
She is also a recipient of the Master/Apprentice grant from the Council and a “Teacher Recognition Certificate” from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. In 2016, she received the Montgomery County Executive’s Outstanding Artist Award for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities. In June 2020, she was awarded the Pola Nirenska Award for Outstanding Achievements in Dance.
Nehru’s legacy continues to grow as she remains dedicated to preserving and innovating Kuchipudi, inspiring generations of dancers, and strengthening the presence of Indian classical arts in the United States.
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