Barefoot in Kargil snow, performing at Ram Mandir: Meet Kuchipudi dancer Akshara Devalla
HYDERABAD: Before she even left her teenage years behind, Akshara Devalla had already danced her way into the record books, performed on stages across three continents, faced the biting cold of Kargil’s snow barefoot, and became a regular presence on morning television. Her journey is woven from threads of early passion, unwavering discipline, and a sincere devotion to Indian culture.
Yet, among all her achievements, one moment left Akshara truly spellbound. She never imagined she would perform inside the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya. Expecting a different venue, she suddenly discovered herself dancing Kuchipudi inside the sacred walls of one of Hinduism’s most revered sites, leaving her breathless.
In a freewheeling conversation with HyderabadMail, she recalls, “I felt overwhelmed and scared. I stood in the birthplace of Sri Ram and doubted my ability to perform. But I gathered my courage and danced. It felt wonderful. I have performed in the United States, Malaysia, and many temples, but this was my most prestigious performance.”
Akshara is a Kuchipudi dancer, yoga trainer, child actress, and cultural ambassador from Hyderabad. She is still in her teens but has already set a world record, performed on three continents, performed barefoot in the snow at Kargil, and hosted 200 episodes of a morning yoga show on Zee Telugu. Her career is just beginning.
Akshara started learning classical dance before she could even speak or make decisions. Her mother, Dr. Bhavana Pedaprolu, is an accomplished Kuchipudi dancer and a Doordarshan A-Grade artist. She trained in Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh. Akshara grew up surrounded by Kuchipudi at home. “My mother introduced me to Kuchipudi before I even understood dance. I gave my first performance at age four and have been dancing ever since,” Akshara says.
This early start led to remarkable achievements. At just 14, Akshara became the youngest artist to perform a full, unabridged Bhama Kalapam, a two-and-a-half-hour Kuchipudi ballet. Unlike the shorter versions staged today, her performance included all eleven traditional daruvus. Five record books, including the Indian Book of Records and the Genius Book of World Records, recognized her feat.
More notably, Akshara credits her parents, Dr. Bhavana Pedaprolu and Sateesh Devalla, for her success. “I would not be here without my parents. They supported me throughout my career, even when my grades fell behind. They taught me regarding balance and encouraged me to follow my passion,” she says.
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Explaining the demands of her record-setting performance,“Bhama Kalapam once lasted three days, but now it runs about three hours. The songs, dances, and dialogues use old Telugu, not the modern language. Learning the pronunciation, remembering the choreography, and delivering the dialogues took me six months to master,” she explains. Bhama Kalapam is especially tough because the dancer must also sing parts of the performance while dancing. This is rare even in classical Indian dance.
In 2026, Akshara began her most ambitious project, performing the full version of Vande Mataram at historic sites across India. She realized in school that most Indians hear only a shortened version of the national song. This year marks 150 years since Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed Vande Mataram. Akshara wanted to honour both the song and its history through her campaign.
Sharing her inspiration,“Vande Mataram united people across languages and communities. Without it, the movement would not have been as powerful. I wanted to celebrate its 150th anniversary by visiting the places connected to its history,” she says.
To put her plan into action, she started her campaign in Kashmir, visiting Pahalgam and Pulwama, places shaped by conflict and sacrifice. In Kargil, she performed barefoot in the snow to honor fallen soldiers. She also visited Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s home in Kolkata, the birthplace of the song. Akshara performed at India Gate and on the Ganga Ghats in Varanasi.
Recalling her emotions, “I was scared when I arrived in Kashmir. We visited areas where terrorist attacks had happened and entered red zones. I wore tricolor clothes, and people stared at me. But as soon as Vande Mataram played, my fear disappeared. It remains one of the most memorable experiences of my life,” she says.
Beyond her accomplishments in dance, Akshara’s dedication to yoga, which she started at age five, has also shaped her identity. What began as a personal habit has turned into a national platform for her. She now presents daily yoga segments on Zee Telugu at 8:30 AM with Dr. Manthena Satyanarayana Raju. She recently hosted her 200th episode. To deepen her skills, Akshara completed a 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training course in Rishikesh and became a certified Advanced Yoga Trainer.
She finds connections between her disciplines. Akshara sees Kuchipudi and yoga as deeply connected. “Both come from the Vedas and share similar poses and movements. Learning Kuchipudi introduced me to yoga. Balancing both never felt like a conflict, they complement each other,” she explains.
Besides dance and yoga, Akshara has built a career in film and digital media. She acted in twelve films, including Telugu hits like RajaSaab, Thammudu, and Aakasam lo Oka Tara. She also appeared in six advertisements and several web series.
In addition, she embraces digital influence. Akshara uses Instagram to connect young audiences with classical Indian traditions. She serves as Dance and Cultural Ambassador for Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji’s ashram. In this role, she choreographed and guided a thousand students for the Sahasra Godha Kalyanam event. The Ministry of Culture also awarded her the Cultural Talent Search Scholarship (CCRT).
Based on her own experiences, Akshara encourages young people to appreciate India’s cultural richness. She observes, “Many young people today are influenced by Western culture,fashion, music, and more. But I want my generation and those after me to know that our own culture is rich and valuable. We should explore and understand because it has shaped who we are as Indians.”
Despite her many accomplishments, Akshara has performed at the TANA Conference in Michigan and at Thaipusam in Batu Caves, Malaysia, before large crowds. She also received a government scholarship for classical arts. Yet, she describes her Vande Mataram campaign with modesty.
“I call it my Uduta Bhakti,” she says, referring to the Ramayana story of the squirrel who contributed to building the bridge. “I want to do my small part and remind people, especially the young, that our culture is rich and meaningful,” she concludes with her last thoughts.
