Editing Patruni Chidananda Sastry

{{Infobox person
| name = Patruni Chidananda Sastry  
aka Suffocated Art Specimen (SAS)
| picture = Patruni Sastry .jpg
| caption = Patruni Sastry captured by Manab Das
| date_birth = 25th December 1992
| place_birth = Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| nationality = Indian
| pronouns = [[they/them]]
| gender = [[genderfluid]] & [[nonbinary]]
| occupation = Expressionist dancer, [[drag]] artist, [[activism|activist]]
| known_for = being India's first Tranimal drag queen
}}

'''Patruni Chidananda Sastry''' is a [[genderfluid]] Indian expressionist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/154024/hyderabad-patruni-chidananda-sastry-gender-fluidity-india/|title=Who Am I: 25-YO Hyderabad Dancer Will Make You Question Gender Norms|date=2018-08-01|website=The Better India|language=en-US|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref> dancer, India's First Tranimal [[Drag]] performer <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/lgbtq-art-fest-blurs-boundaries-garners-ovation/articleshow/59848044.cms|title=LGBT artists: LGBTQ art fest blurs boundaries, garners ovation {{!}} Hyderabad News - Times of India|last=Aug 1|first=Shajini S. R. /|last2=2017|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27|last3=Ist|first3=06:00}}</ref> and Orator, born on 25th December from Kharagpur of West Bengal and presently lives in Hyderabad<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2020/oct/07/shilparamam-opens-with-a-play-on-coronasura-2206763.html|title=Shilparamam opens with a play on Coronasura|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/meet-the-hyderabad-dancer-who-is-unboxing-gender-one-step-at-a-time/story-cqZKt7doXOtpkfoFkGhmJI.html|title=Meet the Hyderabad dancer who is unboxing gender, one step at a time|date=2018-08-04|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref> Patruni Sastry has performed more than 200 dance and drag shows across the India, as well conducted Workshops.<ref>https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-weekend/dance-in-boardrooms-hyderabad/article25523464.ece</ref>Patruni is known for their dance style “Indian expressionism” and performs drag with the name Suffocated Art Specimen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/living/patruni-chidananda-sastry-on-expressionist-form-of-dance-and-how-it-can-give-a-voice-to-communities-5047771.html|title=Patruni Chidananda Sastry on expressionist form of dance, and how it can give a voice to communities-Living News , Firstpost|date=2018-08-27|website=Firstpost|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref><ref>The Citizen https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/7/19955/Reimagining-Heroines-of-Rabindranath-Tagore-with-Drag</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/south-asian-drag-stars-demand-visibility-with-brown-drag-exists-campaign/|title=South Asian drag stars demand visibility with Brown Drag Exists campaign|last=Reid-Smith|first=Tris|date=2020-05-05|website=Gay Star News|language=en-GB|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>

===Early Life===
Patruni had created their own styles like Sufiyattam<ref>https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/savour-hindi-flavours/article24825754.ece</ref> and Pseudo Natyam. They use dance to talk about tabooed subject such as LGBTQIA issues<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.democracynewslive.com/lifestyle/a-rhythmic-battle-for-equal-rights-507296|title=A rhythmic battle for equal rights|last=Verma|first=Vandana|date=2018-08-08|website=www.democracynewslive.com|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>, sexual education<ref> {{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/43pavn/how-to-learn-about-sex-through-bharatnatyam-kuchipudi-and-odissi|title=How to Learn About Sex Through Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi|website=www.vice.com|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref> and gender equality.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-men-who-dance/articleshow/66499085.cms|title=The trials and tribulations of men who dance {{!}} Hyderabad News - Times of India|last=Nov 5|first=Srivathsan Nadadhur / TNN /|last2=2018|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27|last3=Ist|first3=08:00}}</ref>They identify themself as genderfluid.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/it-took-me-23-years-to-finally-realise-that-i-am-gender-fluid/articleshow/65821744.cms|title=It took me 23 years to finally realise that I am gender fluid - Times of India|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>Patruni learnt Classical dance forms Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi. Initially started performing as a traditional artist and slowly moved to contemporary art. 

Patruni also went through training of Butoh under Adam Koan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/2018/dec/24/integrating-bharatanatyam-and-japans-butoh-with-grace-1915877.html|title=Integrating Bharatanatyam and Japan's Butoh with grace|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref> They created their unique renditions of Butoh called as Butohnatyam.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edexlive.com/campus/2018/dec/24/trained-classical-dancer-patruni-chidananda-sastry-integrates-the-distressing-japanese-art-form-but-4785.html|title=This 25-year-old classical dancer is integrating the distressing Japanese art form, Butoh with Bharatanatyam|website=The New Indian Express|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>Patruni has given TEDx Talks and actively voiced out their activism for LGBTQIA and transgender rights.<ref> {{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/what-happened-to-pranay-can-happen-to-any-one-of-us-lgbtq-activists/articleshow/65934124.cms|title=What happened to Pranay can happen to any one of us: LGBTQ activists - Times of India|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>.Patruni carries a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Bankura Unnayani institute of technology and an MBA from Jaipur National University. they also holds a Diploma in Bharatanatyam.

Patruni started doing drag in June 2019 in order to kickstart drag in Hyderabad<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://telanganatoday.com/celebrating-the-diversity-of-drag|title=Celebrating the diversity of drag|work=Telangana Today|access-date=2021-04-27|language=en-US}}</ref> and later started performing Tranimal drag which is influenced by the postmodern drag movement in Los Angeles<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://feminisminindia.com/2019/09/27/conversation-patruni-chidananda-sastry-exploring-dance-sexuality/|title=In Conversation With Patruni Chidananda Sastry: Exploring Dance And Sexuality|last=Pant|first=Manasi|date=2019-09-26|website=Feminism In India|language=en-GB|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>. Patruni is inspired by Daniel Lismore, Austin Young and Freda Prey<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Arts/India-s-drag-queens-put-politics-front-and-center2|title=India's drag queens put politics front and center|website=Nikkei Asia|language=en-GB|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>. Patruni started Dragvanti, a platform for Indian drag artists, to promote and support the Indian drag community<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2020/jun/30/for-all-things-drag-2163102.html|title=For all things drag|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref>. Patruni also organized India's first Drag Con in Hyderabad.<ref name="Bhavani2019">{{Cite web |title=Hyderabad to have its first-ever Drag Con |last=Bhavani |first=Divya Kala |work=The Hindu |date=25 October 2019 |access-date=27 April 2021 |url= https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/drag-con-hyderabad-2019-patruni-sastry/article29798142.ece}}</ref>

==References==
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[[Category: India]]
[[Category: Nonbinary people]]
[[Category: Performers]]