Padma bhushan Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam was born in Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh. He was taught by Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry. He then refined his art by learning from Sri Tadepally Perrayya Sastry and later was trained by his elder brother Sri Vempati Pedda Satyam in expressions. As he learnt the distinctions of this style of dance, he was successful in promoting the Kuchipudi dance form all over the world.
Vempati Chinna Satyam transferred and structured Kuchipudi, giving it a more classical root. He refined the art form, bringing it closer to the standards of the Manuscript, Natya Shastra, which contributed a whole new outlook and introduced new fundamentals, as defined in Natya Shastra.
Vempati Chinna Satyam started the Kuchipudi Art Academy at Madras in 1963. The Academy produced more than 180 solo items and ore than 15 dance dramas, which were choreographed by the Maestro Vempati Chinna Satyam, and had been staged all over India and abroad.
Vempati Chinna Satyam was conferred with many titles, honors and awards during his career, and finally he was honored with a Doctorate degree by Andhra University and later Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.