At this juncture Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao, Leather Puppetry artisan started playing his role as a friend, teacher and guide to his community youngsters. Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao with his seven brothers and the other relatives who are more than half the population in the village started graduating the craftsmen from plain puppetry to making leather paintings, lamp shades room partitions, a very new trend in the craft and they were sold to public.

Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao was born in 1936, into the family of traditional leather puppet- makers in Nimmalakunta, Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao was initiated into the art of leather puppet making at the young age of 13 years by his father the late Shri. Khade Rao. For the last 40 years he has been making leather puppets for shows with mainly mythological themes. He has also undergone a formal training in this craft.

A painting costs Rs. 10000/ to Rs. 2 Lakhs depending upon its size. Lamp shades and wall hangings vary from Rs. 250/ and above. This started attracting the youth as the remuneration was lucrative. Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao started touring throughout the world with his troupe and started giving shows. In Germany they conducted one hour shows continuously for 45 days. At the end, these audience were totally in love with the animated leather puppets.

Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao not only encouraged the youth in the craft but also imparted proper training to them so that they can reach new heights in the crafts and also earn encouraging remuneration for their art. He also trained and assisted them to get national awards. He is 72 years old but his age is not a hindrance in his penance like struggle to revive the craft as well as encouraging the youth since there is encouraging income connected to it.

Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao is the recipient of the National Award for Excellence in the Leather Puppet making in 1988. He has also received many other awards and citations in various forums and public functions.Shri DalavaiChalapahti Rao is a maestro in leather puppet performances and narration of acts from the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The most popular acts done by him along with his troupe of 8 artists are adaptation of 6 khandas (scenes) from RanganathaRamayana- Sundarakanda, Lanka Dhanam, Sugriva Pattabhishekham, Sati Sulochana, YudhaKandam (Kumbhakarna&Ravana) and 2 paravalas from Bharatham: VirataParavam and DraupathiVastraBharanam.

In the early 90s he was invited by various delegations aboard during which he has demonstrated the making of puppets and performed shows in America, Germany and France. He has done 24 programs in Germany and 10 programs in France. Along with the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), New Delhi, Ministry of Textile, Govt of India he has done 30 shows in America.

Shri. DalavaiChalapathi Rao, has motivated leather Puppet artisans of Nimmalakunta and Dharmavaram to work under one-roof and market their products with a fair price. Later the artisans have formed a Mutually Aided Co-operative Society.

Contributions Towards Development of the Craft

01	Skill up-gradation program	O/o DC(H), New Delhi & APHDCL	100 Artisans
02	N. of new designs developed during thew workshop attended	O/o DC(H), New Delhi & APHDCL	50 New Designs
03	Conducted Shipla guru Parampara	O/o DC(H), New Delhi & APHDCL	5 Artisans
04	No of Demonstration programs attended	International Domestic	5 20
05	Free Training Programs	10 Programs	Trained 100

S No.	Promoter	Country	Details	Year
01	promoted by O/o DC(H) New Delhi	New York, USA	Puppetry Show	1991
02	Sangeetha Nataka Academy	Germany	Puppetry Show	1992
03	Cultural Department	France	Puppetry Show	1999
04	Ministry of Textiles & Ministry of Commerce and Industry Govt of India	Austria	Puppetry Show	2010
05	Ministry of Textiles & Ministry of Commerce and Industry Govt of India	Brazil	Puppetry Show	2012

Lepakshi Handicrafts

Lepakshi Handicrafts

Lepakshi Handicrafts

Lepakshi Handicrafts

Lepakshi Handicrafts