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Google today, celebrates renowned Indian classical dancer, Mrinalini Sarabhai’s 100th birth anniversary with a doodle. The Google doodle shows Mrinalini with her signature parasol, standing proudly in the auditorium of Darpana Academy of Performing Arts where her students are also dancing on stage. Mrinalini married notable physicist Vikram Sarabhai who is considered to be the Father of the Indian Space Program in 1942.
Born on May 11, 1918, in Kerala, the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree recipient spent her early years in Switzerland and was introduced to Dalcroze Eurhythmics, a system of introducing musical concepts through movement in school. Fondly known as Amma, she quickly developed her own technique, spirit, and strength by training at a young age, studying both the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam and the classical dance-drama of Kathakali. She was educated at Shantiniketan under the guidance of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore where she realised her true calling.
In 1948, Mrinalini founded the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts with her husband. The renowned dancer has reportedly trained over 18,000 students in Bharatnatyam and Kathakali. Apart from being a classical dancer, she was also a writer and environmentalist and poet who played a leading role in the social and art scene in Ahmedabad. Besides choreographing more than three hundred dance dramas, Mrinalini has also written many novels, poetry, plays, and stories for children.
Mrinalini was awarded the national civilian awards Padma Shri in 1965 and Padma Bhushan in 1992 by the Indian government. She was also presented with a gold medal by the Mexican Government for her choreography for the Ballet Folklorico of Mexico.
Mrinalini Sarabhai left for the heavenly abode on 21 January 2016, at the age of 97. Her daughter Mallika Sarabhai announced her death on Facebook saying, My mother just left for her eternal dance.”
