Wonder of Wonder! Small wonder - Vamshee

Sai Vamshee Krishna Mogudala the seven-year-old seems to appear as any other normal child of his age, but when HamaraShehar.com correspondent spoke to him, we realised how confident this seven-year-old is. Son of Venkatesh and Aarthi Venkatesh has achieved many awards and titles. He is proud of India and likes to be in Hyderabad and loves his country. An expert in Bharathanatyam and Mono-action which has taken him to places has lot more achievements in store.

Q. You are a child prodigy and a professional the age of four. Who is your inspiration and role model?

A. I would like to be great actor like NT Rama Rao. I drew inspiration after watching "Major Chandrakanth" for mono acting. I like Kamala Hassan and drew inspiration from him for dancing. One more personality is Master Karthik, he is my dance master's disciple. After watching his performance on a plate I decided to master the art of Bharatanatyam. Today I am popular for my Tarangam on pot & plate.

Q. Was your Mauritius trip first visit to abroad? What is your impression and how did you feel visiting a foreign land?

A. In the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of A.P, on July 26, 1997, I performed on the occasion of Alluri Sita Rama Raju Centenary Celebrations at Hyderabad. I enacted the role of Alluri Sita Rama Raju. CM was so impressed that he invited me to participate in Mauritius for India Golden Jubilee Independence Day Celebrations. I am the first youngest cultural ambassador send abroad by the state government. I delivered a speech in front of Mauritius president Cassam Uteem and was applauded for the same. There were many Indians in Mauritius, but I still love India. I performed Alluri Sita Rama Raju's mono actions on the occasion and received accolades.

Q. You are an A grade Student, in addition to being accomplished in dancing both Classical & Western, in Karate, painting and regular in exercise. How do you plan the time management?

A. I get up at 6 AM. I exercise and go to school. Back home I do dance practice for 1 hour. I stopped going to karate. I do painting. I love to draw cartoons. I go for my dance class weekly once. I enjoy doing all the above and always find time for every thing. I get first rank in my class. I don't neglect my studies.

Q. Your cultural Guru?

A. My cultural guru is Shri V.S. Rama Moorthy. "Sri Rama Nataka Niketan", where the splendid classical tradition continues in all its original glory, Bharata Natyam. He gives me immense training and encouragement.

Q. How do your parents help in achieving your objectives?

A. My mother and father always encourage me. My mother helps me with studies, making harps and dance. According to my guru, mother is half guru, so she also accompanies to my dance classes and help me with practice. My father is of a great help as he is the one who writes speeches, scripts for my mono action.

Q. In which school are you studying and how does your school help to cope with your activities?

A. I am studying in Hanuman Vyayama Shala public school at Ram Koti. I am in II class. I am very grateful to my teachers and principal as they encourage me in all accepts. They conduct exams as per my convince and help me to cope with my studies when I am away giving performances. They also encourage by allowing me to perform every year at our annual function.

Q. Vamshee, did you act in movies? Can you give us the details?

A. I acted in Ganesh with Venkatesh and Revati. It is a national award winning movie. I also acted in Pedda Manushulu, with Suman as hero and Rachana, Heera as heroines. I like acting. I have acted even in TV Serials Sabash Baby, Baktha Kavi Potana, Taralu (yet to be released). I act only in holidays so that it does not effect my studies. I am participating in a competition conducted by Appnajousula Vishnum Bhatla foundation of America, organised by Soumithri School of fine arts in a drama named Patanapu Rani Talapotu.

Q. Your recent representation to TANA at USA what was the role? How was the trip to USA? Give us a brief account of the trip?

A. I met Shri Gangadhara Nadala TANA 2000 president in 1999. After seeing my performance he promised me a chance at TANA. TANA had their convention at Forth Worth, Dallas in Arlington Convention Centre. I performed dance and mono action. Taragam was the item on pot and plate and Alluri Sita Rama Raju in mono action for more than one hour. I was felicitated. After seeing my performance Mrs. Padmasri next president TANA also promised me a chance. I may visit USA in coming summer. I visited Disney World, Florida and enjoyed myself. I performed in Huston, Meenakshi Temple - Beaumont, Clearlake, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. From India Shri Balayogi, Karnataka Governor Smt Ramadevi, and Shri Erram Naidu were among the dignitaries who visited USA for TANA celebrations.

Q. Can you give us the list of your award achievements?

A. Little star, super kid - 97, Bharatha Matha Muddu Bidda, Master Mauritius, Bala Nata Rathana, Bala Kinnera, Multifaceted wonder kid are some of them. I am also a recipient of state level GIFTED CHILD AWARD-2000 in classical Dance given out by A.P Jawahar Bala Bhavan from the hands of Primary Education Minister. I also received the prestigious 'Ugadi Puraskar-2000' from Madras Telugu Academy and Super kid 2000 from Budha Purnima Junior Chamber.

Q. Do you think you are enjoying your childhood with so many activities?

A. My mother says I have good grasping power. I do enjoy my childhood like other kids. I love cartoons, games, and computer studies. I am the youngest disciple for my guru. My mother approached him when I was 4 years. He rejected me saying that he was not running a baby care center. But after seeing my interest and talent he gave away. He is instrumental for my achievements. Within six months of my training, I started giving stage performances.

Q. Your ambition?

A. I wanted to become an IAS officer, but after visiting NASA at USA, I want to become a scientist.

Like any other child of his age his ambition, keeps changing. But we can't take him in the other children's category. He is extremely talented and we wish him all the best in his future endeavour.

Interview by - Lakshmi Mantha.

Profile

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star may be his daily class-work at the age of 3 years. But the 'Little Vamshee' still does not know how big a little star he is.

Master Sai Vamshee Krishna Mogudala appears as a born artist but he would successfully achieve professional status at the age of 4 years with the help of right teacher his guru Mr. M. Venkatesh, surprisingly he is the father of Master Vamshee. Apart from his excellent talent in mono-action, recitation of poetry with a good diction is another best talent of Master Vamshee under the guidance of his mother Mrs. Arathi Venkatesh. Vamshee has a versatile excellence in dance, acting, painting, story telling, karate, gymnastics etc., shows his multifaceted talent.

Golden Appreciations

The child prodigy Master Vamshee has been awarded with Gold Medal by Bharathi Kamalakar Charitable Trust. Sahara India also awarded a Gold Medal for his talent on 15th August 1997 in presence of A.P. freedom fighters. Many organisations like, Cultural Affairs A.P., A.P. Tourism Department, Film Development Corporation, Jawahar Bal Bhavan and many others suitably appreciated and encouraged Master Vamshee's talents.

Gnanapeeth Awardee, Padma Reddy blessed and applauded Vamshee for his fluent recitation of poetry from 'Prapancha Padulu' which was written by All Times great poet Dr.C. Narayan Reddy.

Nation-wide Performances

He performed in All India Telugu Conference held at Mumbai in 1997 invited by Telugu University at the age of 4 years in the presence of Maharashtra C.M. Mr. Manohar Joshi.

On the occasion of Golden Jubilee Celebration of Independent India held at Bangalore in 1997, Karnataka Government and Karnataka Telugu Samanvaya Samithi invited him to perform. Central information and broadcasting Minister Mr. Jaipal Reddy, Karnatka Assembly speaker Mr. Ramesh Kumar were also present on the occasion. In 1998, as a cultural delegate from A.P. Bal Bhavan, he performed Bharatha Natyam in Diu-Damman.