Anand Kuchibotla’s dream that was conceived in 2001 stands tall today in a sprawling 30,000 square foot campus. The first US-based university for Indian performing arts saw the light of day after several challenges faced by Anand, settled in US.
The University of the Silicon Andhra in California, offers various programmes in Carnatic music and Kuchipudi. “I came to the US three decades ago from Machilipatnam, but I never lost touch with my roots. My mission is to promote the Telugu language, art and culture to Indians settled here,” says Anand.
He has witnessed a steady rise in enrollments after classes began in January and he says it’s gaining popularity due to its unique approach. “The programme includes both virtual lessons from India-based expert faculty and weekend campus classes. People can learn the basics everywhere, but the ancient theories are very rare to find,” he says. He continues, “Without having to pay huge sums of money, we got a nod from many artistes. I think they could see through my vision.”
Further elaborating on the challenges he faced, he says, “The first challenge was to get a university accreditation. We got it within three years of application. Then, after much searching, we found a building situated on a highway which cost us a lot. Our next challenge was to raise money. I applied for loans and received donations.”
While Anand was wading through challenges, the main motivating force which kept him going was his dream to create a Telugu identity in the heart of US. Currently, the university offers a two-year Masters programme; a year-long diploma and certificate programmes. By 2019, Anand plans to introduce other mainstream courses and may even shift to a bigger campus.
