Mrinalini Sarabhai passes away

Bharatanatyam and Kathakali dancer and choreographer Mrinalini Sarabhai, draped in a silk sari from Kornad, Tamil Nadu.AHMEDABAD ⢠GUJARAT ⢠2009

Noted danseuse and Padma Bhushan recipient Mrinalini Sarabhai passed away today morning in Ahmedabad. She was 97.

She had been admitted to hospital a day before.

Trained in Bharatnatyam, Kathakali and Mohiniyattom, she was educated at Shantiniketan under Rabindranath Tagore. She was married to the architect of India's space programme, Dr Vikram Sarabhai.

"My mother just left for her eternal dance," her daughter, leading danseuse, actor and activist Mallika Sarabhai, said in a Facebook post announcing the death

Indian danseuse Mrinalini Sarabhai. Photo: The Hindu Archives

Besides being a classical dancer, she was a poet, writer and environmentalist and played a leading role in the social and art scene in Ahmedabad. She was one of the first classical dancer to turn to choreography.

According to family members, she was suffering from an infection and succumbed to it.

She is survived by daughter Mallika and son Kartikey, founder of Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environment Education (CEE).

Anahita, the granddaughter of Mrinalini Sarabhai mourning the death in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Photo: Vijay Soneji