Kuchipudi dancer Arunima Kumar receives King’s honour in UK

London, Oct 16 (PTI) Celebrated UK-based artist Arunima Kumar on Thursday became the first Kuchipudi dancer to be conferred King Charles III’s Honorary British Empire Medal (BEM), for services to Indian classical dance and community.  The Honorary BEM, a royal honour awarded for "hands-on" service to the local community, comes in recognition of Kumar’s tireless efforts in taking Indian classical dance, particularly Kuchipudi, to global platforms and fostering cross-cultural understanding through the arts.

The renowned cultural leader, influencer and ambassador has many firsts to her credit, including performances at Buckingham Palace and Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee celebrations and Diwali festivities at 10 Downing Street in London.  “It’s an incredible honour to receive the King’s honour and I’m grateful for this international recognition and to all those who believe in my work," said Kumar.   “For me, this recognition is not just personal but a celebration of Indian classical dance on the world stage. Kuchipudi has been my lifelong companion, a medium of storytelling, healing, and unity," she said.  Her institution, Arunima Kumar Dance Company (AKDC), is credited with making Kuchipudi accessible and relevant across the world with over 3,000 performances in more than 50 countries, training hundreds of students across the UK, India and Poland, aged four to 75.  “Through AKDC, I’ve built an organisation that can transform lives through Indian dance and transcend barriers, bring joy to communities, and create powerful spaces for dialogue and inclusion," said Kumar.   “I’m grateful to my parents, gurus, my husband and my young daughter Aishwarya for enabling me as an artist and to all those who have supported me in building this legacy brick by brick. Many more miles to go but today I’m eternally grateful,” she added.  Having trained under eminent gurus Padma Bhushan Smt Swapnasundari and Padma Shri Guru Jayarama Rao, Kumar has made a mark as one of the most distinguished and passionate exponents of Kuchipudi, determined to represent the dance form with “authenticity, grace, and innovation” around the world.  The Honorary BEM, announced as part of the 2025 royal honours for foreign nationals by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) this week, adds to a string awards for the well-known dancer – including the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskaar, Global Icon Award, and the NRI Institute Award for Arts at the Houses of Parliament in the UK.  Beyond the stage, AKDC has pioneered several pathbreaking initiatives that use dance as a tool for empowerment, healing, and inclusion reaching schools, universities, care homes, hospitals, prisons including Delhi’s Tihar Jail, and most recently for Parkinson’s UK.  Kumar is immersed in her next pioneering initiative, ‘Samarpanam – A Dance Offering’, presented by AKDC in collaboration with the British Council India as part of a landmark cultural exchange featuring young British and Polish students at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi on October 24.  Among the other honours conferred by King Charles this week include an Honorary Knighthood for John Kerry, former US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, for services to tackling climate change. PTI AK GRS GRS