Mrinalini Sarabhai passes away

Ahmedabad

Renown classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai, widow of Dr Vikram Sarabhai and mother of Kartikeya and Mallika Sarabhai passed away today morning at the age of 97.

Mrinaliniben was admitted to Intensive Critical Care Unit(ICCU) in a private hospital on Wednesday morning after she fell ill with old age related complications but was brought to her home early Thursday morning where she breathed her last. She had an infection which led to her health deteriorating according to his son Kartikeya Sarabhai,founder of Centre of Environment Education (CEE). Her last rites will be conducted in Pethapur village.

Sarabhai, an exponent of classical dance forms of Bharatanatyam and Kathakali, was awarded Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree, apart from various other awards for her contribution to the field of dance.

Born on 11 May 1918 in Kerala, Mrinalini Sarabhai daughter of former MP Ammu Swaminathan was founder of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts which is being looked after by her daughter Mallika Sarabhai.She spent her childhood in Switzerland, where, she received her first lessons in the Dalcroze school, a Western technique of dance movements.She was educated at Santiniketan. She then went for a short time to the United States where she enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. On returning to India, she began her training in the south Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam under Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and the classical dance-drama of Kathakali under the legendary Guru Thakazhi Kunchu Kurup.

Mrinalini married Dr Vikram Sarabhai who is considered to be the Father of the Indian Space Program in 1942.

– DeshGujarat