Rukmini Devi Arundale (29 February 1904 – 24 February 1986 )

One of the most influential people in India, Rukmini Devi was a diva in her own sense and style.

1. A dynamic personality

Born on 29 February 1904, to Neelakanta Sastri an engineer and Seshammal, a music enthusiast, an upper class Brahmin family in Madurai, Rukmini Devi, was an Indian theosophist, dancer and choreographer of the Indian classical dance form of Bharatnatyam, and a campaigner for animal rights and wellbeing.

2. Boundaries forgotten

Rukmini Devi met Dr. George Arundale, a British theosophist and a close associate of Annie Besant. After falling for each other, they got married in 1920 when she was just 16 years old.

3. Free thinker

Following her marriage, she traveled the world and became the President of the All-India Federation of Young Theosophists in 1923 and the President of the World Federation of Young Theosophists in 1925.

4. Inspiration was all she wanted

Enthused by the ballet dancing and meeting Anna Pavlova in 1928, with whom she became friends with, she went on to learn the art. But it was Pavlova who inspired her to gain interest and focus on discovering traditional Indian dance forms.

5. Barring the age limits

She began learning the dance form, first from 'Mylapore Gowri Amma’, and later from 'Pandanallur Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai'. She was almost 30 when she started learning dance but was a very dedicated learner.

6. Strong willed

Despite strong protests, she continued with the ‘sadhir’ form of Bharatnatyam portrayal, prevalent amongst the temple dancers, Devadasis. This was considered vulgar back in those days but it was Rukmini who popularized it and turned it into a respectable art.

7. Enthusiast

She worked together with eminent dancers, classical musicians, and scholars to extend dance-dramas based on Indian classics and legends, with inclusion of musical instruments like violin, designed attires and jewelery, and established set and illumination design elements, thereby completely refurbishing the dance form.

8. Humanitarian

The Animal Welfare Board of India in 1962 was set up under her chairmanship. She was a humanitarian and prominent animal rights activist.

9. All prestigious awards!

She was also the member of prestigious Rajya Sabha. Not only this, she was honored with the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award of India, in 1956, for her contribution to arts, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award), the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists, was conferred upon her in 1967 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama and she was also awarded the ‘Prani Mitra’ in 1968, by the Animal Welfare Board of India.

10. A reformer!

Rukmini Devi features in India Today's list of '100 People Who Shaped India'. She breathed her last at the age of 82 on 24 February 1986 in Chennai.

Rukmini Devi Arundale: A never ending journey, lessons to learn, a free spirited dynamic lady and a beautiful inspiration for eons to come.