Introduction
Born 2nd March, 1937 in Visakhapatnam, Dr Gopala Krishna Abburi has been involved several cultural and literary milestones in Andhra Pradesh.
Career
In his career, Dr Gopala Krishna Abburi contributed in multiple capacities to several Institutions and Organizations:
- He is a founder member of Andhra Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy, Andhra Pradesh Nritya Academy and Bharat Kala Parishad
- He played an advisory role to All India Radio and Visakha Museum
- Designer, All India Handicrafts Board
- Designer and Curator, Museum of Natural History and Pre-History at Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad
- Lecturer in Design and Play production in Natya Vidyala, Hyderabad
- Chariman of Board of Studies, Andhra University
- Retired in 1997 as the Head of the Department, Department of Theatre Arts, Andhra University
Painting
He studied painting for four years under the renowned artist Sri A Paidi Raju . He holds an Advanced Diploma (1960) in Painting (Honours) from Government College of Fine Arts. He works are displayed both as part of public and private collections including A P State Museum of Comtemparary Arts Hyderabad, Salarjung Museum Hyderabad, Andhra University Visakhapatnam, Visakha Museum Visakhapatnam, A P Lalita Kala Academy Hyderabad, Press Club of Visakha Journalists Forum. His paintings have also been screened in movies including “Maro Prapancham” (telugu).
He created cover designs over 200 books by well known authors including Sri Buchi Babu, Lata, Nagnamuni and books published by National Book Trust, Central and State Sahitya Academies.
Research and literature
His doctoral thesis on “Tallapaka Annamacharya and Yakshagana Tradition” was completed and certified in 1986. Dr G K Abburi has prepared, presented and published 36 research papers at various seminars and journals.
His unpublished works include History of Andhra Painting, Origin and development of Telugu Theatre, Andhra Chitrakala Charitra, Style in Fine Arts, Dance, Music and Literature.
As a poet he published more than 100 poems and is a member of Nirasana group of poets.
Playwright
In addition to being a key educational figure in Andhra University Department of Theatre Arts, Dr G K Abburi has been involved in various facets of theatre. He designed costumes and sets for a number of plays, notable being ‘Mricchakatika’, ‘Kanyasulkam’, ‘veerabhojaya – Vasundhara’, ‘Antigone’.
He has written 9 plays including – ‘Trijaki Yama Darsanam’, ‘Sirishika Cheekati Cheppina katha’, ‘Laya’, ‘Interview’, ‘Swatantryam’. His play ‘Trijaki Yama Darsanam’ was also translated into Kannada and staged more than a hundred times in Karnataka. In Telugu, it was staged about 80 times.
Abburi Kala Kendram
Upon retirement from Andhra University, he established Abburi Kala Kendram, ac center for fine arts and graphic arts. As a non profit organization, the Kala Kendram organized about 36 exhibitions in the three years after being founded.
Awards
Dr Abburi Gopala Krishna received several awards and recognition for his contributions to Telugu Literature, Theatre and Arts. Some of his Awards are:
- Kurella Someswara Rao Trust Award for the service in cause of fine arts, 1997
- Potti Sri Ramulu Telugu University award for his service to theatre, 1998
- Chitra Kala Bhushana award by Lalita kala Parishad, 2005
