Keeping up with its tradition, Google today honoured the legendary Bharatnatyam dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale on her 112th birthday with a doodle.
The doodle features Rukmani Devi in a dance attire with flowers in her hair holding up a mudra amidst trademark lettering of the search giant in trailing pink.
Born on February 29, 1904 in a Brahmin family in Madurai, Rukmini Devi was considered to be the most important revivalist in the Indian classical dance form.
Originally known as sadhir, the Indian classical dance form of Bharatnatyam owes its current name to E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale, who has been instrumental in modifying mainly the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam and bringing it to the global attention. Rukmini Devi also created some of the pioneering dance dramas based on Indian epics such as the Ramayana and Gita Govinda.
She was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 1952 and re-nominated in 1956. As a member of the Rajya Sabha, she was instrumental for the legislation for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and for setting up of the Animal Welfare Board of India under her chairmanship in 1962. She remained on board until her demise in 1986.
For her immense contribution to to the Indian classical dance, she was honoured with Padma Bhushan and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. She was also instrumental in establishing the International Academy for the Arts in 1936, renamed as Kalakshetra in 1938.
The danseuse breathed her last on February 24, 1986 in Chennai.
(With PTI inputs)