PranayMeesala at 13:42, 4 February 2026

2026-02-04T13:42:14Z

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{{Short description|Indian educationist and film producer}}
{{weasel|date=November 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dega Deva Kumar Reddy
| image = Dega Deva Kumar Reddy.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1958}}
| birth_place = India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = [[Rishi Valley School]], [[Loyola College, Chennai]] & [[Madras School of Social Work]]
| occupation = Educationist, Indian film producer and Entrepreneur
| known for = The Pathless Land - Jiddu Krishnamurti International Centre, [[Essence of Life (dance group)|Essence of Life]]
| spouse =
| children =
| parents =
}}
'''Dega Deva Kumar Reddy''' is an Indian educationist, film producer, and an entrepreneur. Deva Kumar is an alumnus of [[Rishi Valley School]], a school founded by [[Jiddu Krishnamurti]] in [[Madanapalle]], South India. He founded 'Srujana School' and produced Telugu feature films [[Ammayi Bagundi]] and [[Manasu Palike Mouna Raagam]]. He also produced '[[Essence of Life (dance group)|Essence of Life]]'<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kumar|first=Ranee|date=2013-05-16|title=Concretising the abstract|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/concretising-the-abstract/article4717956.ece|access-date=2020-11-14|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> a synergy of five Indian classical dance forms based on Jiddu Krishnamurti teachings.

==Influence==
Inspired by Jiddu Krishnamurti's teachings, Dega Deva Kumar Reddy popularized Krishnamurti teachings through education, art form, and films.

==Career==

===Innovations in Education===
Deva Kumar graduated from [[Loyola College, Chennai]], and obtained master's degree from [[Madras School of Social Work]]. Deva Kumar founded an alternative school based on [[Jiddu Krishnamurti]]'s teachings along with social reformer, author and educationist Manchireddy Sivaram<ref>{{Cite web|title="The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence"YES TV - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VhHsWbpD2M&index=5&list=PLqX2bWpKll5ZMcSrSQG2d0qqwjcOUHAJu|access-date=2020-11-13|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref> and English educationist and author Eleanor Watts<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eleanor watts family visit to Pinakini Satygraha Asramam photos - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juvmEzZfOYM|access-date=2020-11-13|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref> for under privileged children at [[Pinakini Satygraha Ashramam]] in Pallipadu village, [[Nellore]] District of [[Andhra Pradesh]]. The innovative work done at Srujana School was documented in the books - [https://archive.org/stream/ASchoolUnderTrees-Eng-Raghubabu/raghubabu_djvu.txt A School Under Trees] and [http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/raghubabu-srujna.pdf A Journey With Children - Exploration in Self and Alternative Education]. Elenor Watts<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eleanor Watts {{!}} Oxford University Press|url=https://elt.oup.com/bios/elt/w/watts_e?cc=global&selLanguage=en|access-date=2020-11-13|website=elt.oup.com}}</ref> had later written several books based on her work and association with 'Srujana School'. Sivaram had documented his experiences and thoughts on Education in the book 'Sramajeevana Vidya Viplava Kavyam'.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sramajeevana Vidya Viplava Kavyam శ్రమజీవన విద్యా విప్లవ కావ్యం|url=https://manchipustakam.in/product/sramajeevana-vidya-viplava-kavyam-శ్రమజీవన-విద్యా-విప్/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=Manchi Pustakam|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Film career===
Deva Kumar has produced two [[Telugu language|Telugu]] feature films based on Jiddu Krishnamurti's philosophy under Dega Arts banner. [[Ammayi Bagundi]] was released in 2004 starring [[Sivaji (Telugu actor)]], [[Meera Jasmine]] and [[Manasu Palike Mouna Raagam]] with [[Sneha (actress)]] in the lead role in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manasu Palike Mounaragam Muhurat|url=https://www.ragalahari.com/functions/1798/manasu-palike-mounaragam-muhurat.aspx|access-date=2020-11-13|website=www.ragalahari.com}}</ref>[[Ammayi Bagundi]] was dubbed in Malayalam as Manjupeyyum Munpe and [[Manasu Palike Mouna Raagam]] was dubbed to Tamil.

===Essence of Life (dance group)|Essence of Life===
Dega Deva Kumar Reddy conceptualized and produced '[[Essence of Life (dance group)|Essence of Life]]',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Discovering the essence of life|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2013/may/03/discovering-the-essence-of-life-473809.html|access-date=2020-11-13|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> a dance form inspired by Jiddu Krishnamurti's teachings.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-02-25|title=Dance and philosophy on a stage|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/314793/dance-philosophy-stage.html|access-date=2020-11-14|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref> [[Essence of Life (dance group)|Essence of Life]] was a synergy of five classical Indian dance forms – [[Bharatanatyam]], [[Kuchipudi]], [[Kathak]], [[Mohiniyattam]] and [[Odissi]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dega Devakumar Dega Farms Founder - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSrwEJnoI0Y|access-date=2020-11-13|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref> [[Essence of Life (dance group)|Essence of Life]] was performed in several states in India and received rare accolades.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dega Arts Essence of Life Promo - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PqwrYi_BKg|access-date=2020-11-19|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

===The Pathless Land===
'The Pathless Land' is a Jiddu Krishnamurti International Centre and School in [[Madikeri]], [[Kodagu]] district, [[Karnataka]], India, promoted by Dega Deva Kumar Reddy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://www.thepathlessland.in/about-us/|access-date=2020-11-24|website=The Pathless Land|language=en-US}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 'The Pathless Land' is modeled after Brockwood Park School, a school founded by [[Jiddu Krishnamurti]] in UK in 1969.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The SchoolThe School|url=https://www.thepathlessland.in/the-school/|access-date=2020-11-24|website=The Pathless Land|language=en-US|archive-date=6 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206173536/https://www.thepathlessland.in/the-school/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Entrepreneur===
Deva Kumar Reddy is founder of Future Organics,<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us {{!}} Future Organics {{!}} Pure & Natural|url=https://futureorganics.in/about-us/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=Future Organics|language=en-US|archive-date=29 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129102232/https://futureorganics.in/about-us/|url-status=dead}}</ref> a company that produces organic products. He is also the promoter of 'Dega Farms and Eco Constructions'<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://degafarms.com/index.html|access-date=2020-11-13|website=degafarms.com}}</ref> a Jiddu Krishnamurti retreat centre in [[Hosur]] near [[Bangalore]].{{fact|date=March 2023}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://thepathlessland.in/about-us The Pathless Land, A Jiddu Krishnamurti International Community in Coorg, India]{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NfuV0F-mhM Srujana School innovative education talk by Sivaram]
*[https://manchipustakam.in/product/sramajeevana-vidya-viplava-kavyam-శ్రమజీవన-విద్యా-విప్/ Experience of Srujana School by M Sivaram]
*[http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/blackboardeng.pdf The Blackboard Book, Eleanor Watts]
*[http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/raghubabu.pdf A School Under Trees, Raghu Babu]
*[http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/raghubabu-srujna.pdf A Journey With Children - Exploration in Self and Alternative Education]
*[https://www.thepathlessland.in/essence-of-life/ Essence of Life dance]{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deva Kumar Reddy, Dega}}
[[Category:Jiddu Krishnamurti| ]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:Telugu film producers]]
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Indian educators]]
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Loyola College, Chennai alumni]]

Dega Deva Kumar Reddy - Revision history

PranayMeesala at 13:42, 4 February 2026