Gaddam Padmaja Reddy

Gaddam Padmaja Reddy (born 1 January 1967 in Pamarru, Andhra Pradesh, India) is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer associated with the Kuchipudi tradition. She trained in Kuchipudi under the renowned guru Shobha Naidu and later developed a distinctive artistic voice through dance dramas based on mythology, history, and contemporary social themes. Over the years, she has become known for portraying powerful characters such as Satyabhama and the Kakatiya queen Rudrama Devi.

Padmaja Reddy’s choreographic work often blends classical dance vocabulary with socially relevant themes. She has created dance ballets addressing issues such as female foeticide and public health awareness, including productions like Bruna Hatyalu, Jagruthi, and Vajra Bharati. Among her most recognized creations is Kakatiyam, a Kuchipudi visual dance production inspired by the history, temple architecture, and cultural heritage of the Kakatiya dynasty, drawing references from the 13th-century treatise Nritta Ratnavali.

In addition to performing internationally, Padmaja Reddy is dedicated to teaching and promoting Kuchipudi through the Pranav Institute of Kuchipudi Dance in Hyderabad, named after her son. Her contributions to Indian classical dance have been widely recognized with several honours, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2015) and the Padma Shri (2022) from the Government of India.