Kamani Auditorium

Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra

Shriram Bhartiya Kala Kendra, Delhi.
Abbreviation	SBKK
Formation	1952
Purpose	music and performing arts education, theatre
Headquarters	1 Copernicus Marg, New Delhi - 110 001
Director	Shobha Deepak Singh
Website	www.sbkk.in

Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (SBKK) is an Indian cultural institution which runs a noted school for music, dance and performing arts in New Delhi. It was founded by Sumitra Charat Ram in 1952, and imparts training in Indian classical dance styles and music, including Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Chhau, Hindustani Classical music, both Vocal and Instrumental. It associated organisation is the Shriram Centre for Performing Arts at Safdar Hasmi Marg, in the Mandi House area, the cultural hub of Delhi, the centre includes a theater for the performing arts, a theatre repertory company and an acting school.

Often referred as Bharatiya Kala Kendra, the Kala Kendra hold an important place in history performing arts education in India. Its current director is Shobha Deepak Singh, daughter of its founder, Sumitra Charat Ram. Today, it is best known for its annual Ramlila, the enactment of the life of Rama which takes place during the 10-day Dussehra festival. First begun at the center in 1957, the Ramlila has, over the years, used different choreographers and style to include both folk and Indian classical dance to produce fresh choreographies.

Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra finds its origin in a Jhankar, a society founded in 1947 for an appreciation of Indian classical music and dance, gradually it started offering training in music and dance and came to be known as Bharatiya Kala Kendra. Eventually it moved to Copernicus Marg where it was renamed Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, later it was registered under the same name in 1952, under the Societies' Registration Act XXI of 1860. It now has two sections, the College of Music and Dance, and the Performing Arts Section. Noted classical singer Nilina Ripjit Singh, later known as Naina Devi was its director.