Internationally renowned classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai dies at age 97

dynamitenews.com
Ahmedabad / 21 Jan 2016 Renowned dancer, choreographer, poet and novelist Mrinalini Sarabhai passed away today at the age of 97 due to an infection, survived by her daughter Mallika and son Kartikeya. Mrinalini's late husband Vikram Sarabhai, a scientist considered to be the 'Father of India's Space Programme' had died in 1971. Mallika shared the news of the death through a Facebook post that read, "My mother Mrinalini Sarabhai has just left for her eternal dance."

The Making of a Danseuse
First studying dance at the Dalcroze School in Switzerland, where Mrinalini Sarabhai spent her childhood, she later studied under the esteemed Rabindranath Tagore at Santiniketan, before joining the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After returning to India she trained in the south Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam and the classical dance-drama of Kathakali.

Accolades
Awarded the Padma Bhushan (1992), the Padma Shri (1965) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (1994) in India, Mrinalini Sarabhai has also been honored and recognized by the University of East Anglia (UK), French Archives Internationales de la Danse (France) and the Government of Mexico. 

Passing on the Art
Mrinalini Sarabhai founded the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, Ahmedabad in 1949. The institute imparts training in the fields of dance, drama, music and puppetry. Mrinalini herself trained over 18,000 students in Bharatnatyam and Kathakali.