Indian embassy in US starts online Kuchipudi classes

Amid the lockdown in America due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Indian embassy in the US has launched an online course for the popular classical dance Kuchipudi, according to the mission's website.

The Learn From Home course which begins on Thursday will be live streamed on social media platform Facebook.

It is part of the embassy's Learn from the Masters Series'.

Renowned exponent Bhavana Reddy will provide the lessons in the popular south Indian dance form twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday.

Reddy is one of the India's leading young Kuchipudi performers. She is the recipient of the coveted Sangeet Natak Akademi's Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, highest honour for the Indian performing artist under the age of 40.

Last month, President Donald Trump extended the social distancing measures in the US till April 30.

Many states and local governments already have stiffer controls in place on mobility and gatherings.

The US has over 637,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 30,826 deaths, the highest for any country in the world.