Legendary dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai is featured on today’s Google Doodle for her 100th birth anniversary. Born in Kerala, Mrinalini was a well renowned dancer who lived to move to the rhythm.
Google explained their doodle in a post that read, “Today’s Doodle celebrates Indian classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai, who 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.”
Speaking about her passion for dancing Mrinalini once said, “From the moment of my knowledge of existence, I claimed the dance as my own life. It shaped the entire consciousness of my being and it never changed.”
She was fondly known as Amma and professionally trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathakali and Mohiniattam. Amma studied at Shantiniketan under the great Rabindranath Tagore. Leading a successful career Mrinalini went on to marry Dr. Vikram Sarabhai an architect of the Indian Space Program.
Mrinalini Sarabhai was heavily involved in the community and extended her talent to become a writer and environmentalist. She influenced the social and art scene in the city of Ahmedabad. Mrinalini choreographed over 300 dance dramas over the years. Every performance of hers reflected classical tradition.
Amma’s shows were always a full house with the prime minister and president in the front row seats. In the year 1948, the talented Padma Bhushan awardee founded the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts in Ahmedabad.
The dancer was awarded the Padma Shri in 1965 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship was given to Mrinalini in 1994. She was also the first recipient to receive the Kerala Annual Award ‘Nishagandhi Puraskaram’ in 2013. She passed away in January 2016 at the age of 96.
Lakshmi Sehgal Mrinalini’s older sister was the Commander in Chief for the Rani of Jhansi regiment. It was an all woman combat regiment for the Indian National Army formed by Subhash Chandra Bose. It was used in hopes to bring down the British Colonial rule during the Independence struggle.
