Times News Network

Mangalore, May 21: Art flows in the veins of U P Sharan. This teen, awaiting the CBSE X Std results, is all set to becoming a professional Bharatnatyam dancer. He will thus carry on the legacy of his family which has ruled the field of performing arts for the past two generations.

Grandson of the renowned Bharatanatyam exponent and guru, U S Krishna Rao, training began at home for him. At the tender age of two, he was fascinated by the resounding dance beats of his father U K Praveen and he gave his first performance as Bala Krishna.

U P Sharan (extreme left) with his father U K Praveen, mother Usha Praveen, brother Chandan

and grandfather U S Krishna Rao

Since then, there has been no looking back. Today, Sharan has numerous group and solo performances to his credit. A student of Sri Satya Sai boarding school at Alike, distance from his home town never separated him from his passion - dance. Neither did the pressure of academics constrain him.

His love for art is not restricted to dancing alone.

He is learning Carnatic music from his vocalist mother Usha Praveen. Artistic aspirations have come to him from his maternal side too. Sharan is learning Yakshagana from his maternal grandfather Kolyur Ramchandra Rao. He is also trying his hand at the tabla and keyboards.

A keen lover of sports, Sharan is all set to add a dash of glitter to his family reputation. Performers are aplenty in the Rao family. Sharan’s brother Chandan is an upcoming actor in Kannada films.

The family has been blessed with a special gift for Bharatanatyam. U S Krishna Rao, Sharan’s grandfather, is credited with establishing the Kadri Nrithya Vidya Nilaya way back in 1935 that has been imparting lessons in music and dance to hundreds of young and old art lovers.

Rao is a proud nominee to coveted titles of the likes of Karnataka Kala Tilaka and Natyarani Shantala awards into his kitty. He would indeed be a happy man, witnessing his grandson perform, in his eighties.

It will be a history of sorts for the Rao family on May 23, when Sharan clad in the Bharatanatyam costumes and anklets will enthrall the audience at the Town Hall here. As their third generation is poised to set a new milestone, they are bound to be proud of this young boy, knowing full well that there is a long way to go for him to scale newer heights.

Now that is called ‘blood showing its colour’.