The Journey so far |
During the years between 1994 and 2000 he was associated with the well known Kadambari Foundation (started by Ms Chandra Jain) and taught children the art of puppetry through workshops and puppet productions. In the year 1999 he visited Poland with his team as a part of Indo Polish cultural Relationship Program and gave 5 very successful puppet shows all over Poland winning polish hearts and spread the rich Indian heritage. Rao later closely associated with Crafts Council of Karnataka and served as a councellor for the duration 2006-07. During this period, Crafts Council of Karnataka in collaboration with Canara Bank Foundation made way for 4 major workshops that Rao undertook. He along with his wife Gayathri Rao trained nearly 70 artisans on Puppet making , script writing, music and costume designing.These workshops were a huge success in harnessing a solid team of puppeteers as well as train skilled wooden sculptors on puppetry as a profession.
Another Puppet troupe run entirely by the students of Vivekananda Educational Trust and ably supported by its faculties was started in 2007. This troupe comprising mostly of children has successfully completed more than 250 performances of the famous mythological story of "Hanumadvilasa". Rao is also a consulting advisor to Dhaatu, a cultural organisation aimed at instiling cultural values to children led by Mr Vidyashankar Hoskere and his wife Mrs. Anupama Hoskere.
He is still continuing his endeavor in the field of puppetry experimenting and innovating which has come to be a part of his daily routine !!!
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