Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao ( Scholar-Translator )
Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra, a living and quintessential Sanskrit classic, stands as a unique landmark in global literature on drama, dance, prosody, poetics, music, and more. With a history dating back at least two millennia, this vast encyclopedic text—the earliest, most comprehensive, and most influential Indian treatise on the performing arts, without any extant global precedent—continues to inform, guide, and inspire seekers of knowledge and practitioners of Indian classical arts both in India and beyond. Its extraordinary breadth, depth, and sheer size demand a translator with extensive expertise, deep immersion in living performance traditions, and a critical yet sensitive engagement with its heritage and global significance.
We are delighted to present the INDICA Classical Library’s three-volume English translation of Nāṭyaśāstra by the renowned scholar, Swargiya Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao (1948–2024). This edition, accompanied by the Sanskrit original in both Devanagari and IAST, features copious notes, insightful commentary (Saṁśodhinī), nearly 400 newly commissioned bespoke illustrations—never before seen in any English translation—a meticulously crafted forty-page index with around 2,000 entries, and a beautifully designed cover. This scholarly masterpiece is an academic, multilingual, textual, and visual treasure for contemporary seekers like no other.
These volumes mark the inaugural offering from the INDICA Classical Library and form part of INDICA’s tribute to Bharata Muni, the revered sage traditionally credited with the Nāṭyaśāstra, and to the rich tradition of Indian Knowledge Systems.
Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao was a distinguished, multi-faceted scholar renowned for his deep erudition across various Indian art forms. An academician par excellence, he held master’s degrees in Sanskrit, Telugu, and English Literature, along with doctoral degrees in Sanskrit and Telugu, and a D.Litt in Indology. Over the course of his illustrious career, Dr. Rao held several prominent academic positions worldwide, including serving as Chairperson at the University of Silicon Andhra and as an academic administrator at the American Institute of Indian Studies.
A prolific writer, Dr. Rao authored several acclaimed books, including Flowers at His Feet, The Science of Sri Cakra, Rasamanjari, Fragrance of Padams, Bunch of Javalis, and the critical edition of Nṛttaratnāvalī published by IGNCA. His works, widely appreciated by scholars and rasikas alike, gained both critical acclaim and popular recognition.
Dr. Rao shared close associations with legendary figures in the fields of music and dance, such as Sri Patrayani Sangeeta Rao, Dr. Balamurali Krishna, and Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam. Notably, he played a pivotal role in introducing academic inquiry into Kuchipudi dance, particularly through his collaboration with Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam. His lectures and workshops on music, dance, and literature—especially on Nāṭyaśāstra—were highly sought after, renowned for their intellectual depth and profound insights.
Throughout his celebrated career, Dr. Rao was honored with numerous prestigious awards, including:
Crowning his lifelong contributions to Indian arts and scholarship, Dr. Rao was honored with one of India’s highest artistic accolades—the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar in 2016.
