Mrinalini Sarabhai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mrinalini Sarabhai
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Sarabhai in 2008
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| Born | 11 May 1918 |
| Died | 21 January 2016 (aged 97) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Dancer, choreographer |
| Title | Founder of Darpana Academy of Performing Arts |
| Spouse(s) | Vikram Sarabhai (m. 1942-1971) |
| Children | Mallika Sarabhai (daughter) Kartikeya Sarabhai (son) |
| Honors | Padma Bhushan (1992) Padma Shri (1965) |
Mrinalini Vikram Sarabhai (born May 11, 1918 – died January 21, 2016) was a famous Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She created and led the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in Ahmedabad. This academy teaches dance, drama, music, and puppetry. She received important awards like the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and the Padma Shri in 1965 for her amazing work in art.
Contents
About Her Life
Early Years and Learning
Mrinalini was born in Kerala, India, on May 11, 1918. Her father, Subbarama Swaminathan, was a lawyer. Her mother, Ammu Swaminathan, was a social worker and worked for India's independence. Mrinalini had an elder sister, Lakshmi Sehgal, who was a leader in the 'Rani of Jhansi Regiment' during the independence movement.
Mrinalini went to a boarding school in Switzerland for two years. There, she learned about Western dance movements. She also studied at Santiniketan with Rabindranath Tagore. This is where she truly found her passion for dance. Later, she went to the United States to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
When she returned to India, she began learning classical Indian dance. She trained in Bharatanatyam under Meenakshisundaram Pillai. She also learned Kathakali, a classical dance-drama, from Guru Thakazhi Kunchu Kurup.
Marriage and Family Life
In 1942, Mrinalini married Vikram Sarabhai. He is known as the Father of the Indian Space Program. They had a son named Kartikeya Sarabhai and a daughter named Mallika Sarabhai. Both of her children also became famous in dance and theatre.
In 1948, Mrinalini founded the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in Ahmedabad. The next year, she performed in Paris at the Théâtre national de Chaillot.
Other Contributions
Besides creating over three hundred dance dramas, Mrinalini also wrote many novels, poems, plays, and stories for children. She was the leader of the Gujarat State Handicrafts and Handloom Development Corporation Ltd. She also helped lead the Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD). Her autobiography, which tells her life story, is called Mrinalini Sarabhai: The Voice of the Heart.
Her Passing
Mrinalini Sarabhai passed away on January 21, 2016, at the age of 97. She had been admitted to the hospital the day before.
Awards and Recognition
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Mrinalini Sarabhai received many honors for her contributions to art. The Indian government awarded her the Padma Shri in 1965 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. These are high civilian awards.
In 1997, the University of East Anglia in the UK gave her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. She was also the first Indian to receive a special medal and diploma from the French association Archives Internationales de la Danse.
She received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship in 1988. In 1990, she was chosen to be part of the International Dance Council in Paris. She also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in New Delhi in 1994. The Mexican Government gave her a gold medal for her dance work with the Ballet Folklorico of Mexico.
In 1998, the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts celebrated its 50th anniversary. They announced the "Mrinalini Sarabhai Award for Classical Excellence" to honor her.
A documentary film about her life, called Mrinalini Sarabhai: The Artist and Her Art, was released in 2012. She was also the first person to receive the Nishagandhi Puraskaram award from the Government of Kerala in 2013. In 2014, she was awarded the Dhirubhai Thakar Savyasachi Saraswat Award.
On May 11, 2018, Google Doodle celebrated her 100th birthday with a special drawing.
See also
- List of citizens of Ahmedabad awarded with national civilian honours
- Indian women in dance
In Spanish: Mrinalini Sarabhai para niños
