US Krishna Rao

U. S. Krishna Rao (Ubhayakar Shivaram Krishna Rao) was born on 31 December 1912 in Mallapura, North Kanara district of Karnataka, and later grew up in Bengaluru. Academically trained in science, he completed an M.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Mysore and worked as a lecturer for several years before fully dedicating himself to dance.

He began learning Bharatanatyam under Guru Kolar Puttappa (1939–40) and later studied Kathakali under Guru Kunju Kurup (1941–42). In 1943, he and his wife and dance partner Chandrabhaga Devi received advanced training from Pandanallur Meenakshisundaram Pillai in Tanjavur. At a time when it was uncommon for Brahmin men and women to pursue Bharatanatyam, the couple continued their training despite social resistance and went on to become a respected dance duo.

They founded the dance school Maha Maya in 1942 in Bengaluru, and their students later spread across India and internationally. Krishna Rao and Chandrabhaga Devi were early proponents of lecture-demonstrations, conducting educational dance sessions from as early as the 1940s.

Krishna Rao served as Honorary Professor of Dance at Bangalore University (1973–1977), while Chandrabhaga Devi was Professor of Dance at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. His choreographic works included dance-dramas such as The Temptation of Buddha, Rani Shantala, Geeta Govinda, and Kama Dahana. He was also a trained musician capable of playing instruments like the harmonium, flute, and tabla, and he trained vocalists and instrumentalists for dance accompaniment.

As an author, he contributed significantly to dance literature. His publications include Adhunika Bharatadalli Nrityakale, Nritya Kale (co-authored with Chandrabhaga Devi), A Dictionary of Bharata Natya, A Panorama of Indian Dances, and Bharata Natya Nighantu. He also wrote for encyclopedias and arts journals in Kannada and English.

For his contributions, he and Chandrabhaga Devi received honours such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Rajyotsava Award, Shantala Award, and Karnataka Nritya Kala Parishat recognitions. Krishna Rao was also awarded the E. Krishna Iyer Medal (2002) by The Sruti Foundation.

He passed away on 6 March 2005 in Bengaluru at the age of 92. His legacy continues through his writings, choreographies, and the work of his disciples.