Kerala Kalamandalam is the premiere public institution in the country for the preservation and promotion of Kerala’s traditional performing arts. The institution was Founded in 1930 by renowned poet PadmabhooshanVallathol Narayana Menon and his close associate Manakkulam Mukundaraja, under the patronage of Kakkad Karanavappad. At the beginning it was exclusively a training centre for Kathakali. Kerala Kalamandalam was declared a Deemed to be University for Art & Culture by the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, on the advice of the University Grants Commission, on 14 March 2006, and the Government of Kerala approved its Memorandum of Association and Rules on 15 May 2007. By virtue of being a Deemed to be University, at present, Kerala Kalamandalam offers Graduate, Post-Graduate and PhD Research programs, as well as secondary and higher secondary courses, all under one roof.