Google Doodle Pay Tribute to Dancer Rukmini Devi

Google Doodle Pay Tribute to Dancer Rukmini Devi

Google Doodle pays tribute for a pioneer dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale on her 113th birth anniversary. She was the reouned dancer of Bharathanatyam in 1930s. The search giant Google posted Doodle of her Rukmini Devi features in traditional dance style.

She is the founder of the most popular academy of dance and music Kalakshetra. This public cultural and educational academy was built by Rukmini Devi and her husband Arundale. She is considered as the most important Indian classical dancers who brought changes in the 'Sadhri' style of dance in Bharathanatyam. She had also worked a lot for the reconstruction of the traditional dance.

She changed the minds of public who considered the classical art Bharathanatyam as a vulgar art in the 1920s. In those days this dance is performed at the temples and in big shot places by Devadasis. She had performance dance at the public in spite of high protests and made people to recognize the spiritual value of the dance.

She was born in Madurai to Brahmin parents on 29 Feb 1904 and died in 1986 at the age of 81. She was awarded with Padma Bhushan in 1956, Sangeeth Natak Akademi Fellowship and many more awards. She was considered as one of the top 100 people who shaped India.

Rukmini Devi gave her first public performance at the Diamond Jubilee Convention of the Theosophical Society in 1935. She learn dance from 'Mylapore' Gowri Amma and E. Krishna Iyer.

She was also known for her works in animal welfare. She was associated with various humanitarian organizations. She played an important role in setting up the Animal Welfare Board of India. Moraji Desai nominated her for the President of India post which she did not agree.

Google Doodle Pay Tribute to Dancer Rukmini Devi