rukmini devi arundale

Rukmini Devi Arundale wanted to transform the way people looked at Bharatnatyam, a dance form which was once performed only by devadasis. She and her husband established a dance and music academy called Kalakshetra at Adyar near Chennai to encourage others to learn such art forms.

Renown Bharatnatyam exponent and founder of Kalakshetra, Rukmini Devi Arundale catalysed a renaissance in Indian classical dance forms. However, few know that she could have been India’s first female president had she accepted the offer.