Uma Attota

Professor Uma Attota was born into a family deeply rooted in Telugu literature and poetry. Her grandmother, a Telugu poet, instilled in her a lifelong connection to the language. In addition to her literary background, Uma is a classically trained dancer. After moving to the U.S. to pursue her Master’s degree, she became a teaching assistant for Telugu at the University of Wisconsin, sharing her passion for the language. In 2018, she founded the Chanakya Institute of Leadership, where she has taught over 500 Indian children raised in the U.S., using engaging methods such as singing, dance dramas, and oral recitations. She also taught Telugu as a part-time lecturer at the University of Washington, Seattle, from 2022 to 2023. Uma holds a Master’s degree in Software Engineering from Southern Methodist University (SMU), Dallas, TX, and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Telugu at the University of Silicon Andhra, Milpitas, CA.