Centre for performing Arts at University of Pune is popularly known as Lalit Kala Kendra is unique in it's own way, was established in 1987. The Centre offers courses in Performing Arts on self-supportive basis. The uniqueness of these courses is very evident that for the first time in India full time, professional & residential courses in Dance, Music and Theatre with GURUKUL pattern, are offered to the students under one umbrella on the University campus. University of Pune has respected the traditional Guru-shishya Parampara (Guru-Disciple Relationship) by incorporating Gurukul pattern in the syllabus for the first time in India. By incorporating the Guru-Disciple Relationship in to the syllabus, the Centre thus pays tribute to the thousand-year-old music and dance oral traditions. It also tries to strike the balance between rich cultural heritage of India and awareness of contemporary sensibilities of the young creative minds. The main objective is to provide professional training in the performing arts by keeping the creative atmosphere around the budding performing artists with due respect and understanding to the Indian performing arts traditions. In order to create one's own idiom in artistic performing art one has to respect the cultural tradition and understand the socio- cultural history of the region.

As mentioned the Centre is one of the non-aided, self-supporting departments of the University of Pune. It is needless to say that the Centre has very limited resources and hence operates under financial constraints. Every student irrespective of the category has to pay the fees. These are not easy market oriented employment-generating courses but they are of professional nature. Students after their graduation get themselves engaged into their professions of Classical Music, Dance, Theatre, Television and Films. Some of the students have joined administration in the Ministry of I & B, Govt. of India, Delhi. Many students opt for teaching in Music and Dance at schools and colleges. Many dance students earn by opening their own dance Institutions. They also can apply for fellowships for higher training to Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India. Many students in the past received fellowships from Ministry of HRD, Delhi. Most of the Theatre students have joined Professional Marathi Theatre in Mumbai, Television Channels, Films and they prefer to work as freelance artists. Dance students are also settling in Europe and Theatre students also pursue their study abroad to complete MFA from Universities abroad. Some enrol for Ph.D.