Google Doodle honours legendary dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai
Google Doodle
Mrinalini was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and the Padma Shri in 1965 for her contribution to arts.
On Friday, Google honoured legendary classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai with a doodle to mark her 100th birth anniversary.
The doodle, illustrated by Delhi-based illustrator Sudeepti Tucker, features Mrinalini with her signature parasol in the auditorium of the famous Darpana Academy of Performing Arts. The academy was founded by Mrinalini and her physicist husband Vikram Sarabhai back in 1949. The doodle aims to celebrate her technique, spirit and strength.
Trained in Bharatanatyam under Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and Kathakali under the legendary Guru Thakazhi Kunchu Kurup, she was one of the few dancers to have learned two distinct style of classical dance forms. Mrinalini was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and the Padma Shri in 1965 for her contribution to arts.
Her institute in Ahmedabad is considered as one of the leading centres in training different forms of dance, drama, puppetry, and music. Mrinalini is known to have instructed over 18,000 students in Bharatanatyam and Kathakali. The centre now serves as a study centre of various art forms.
Mrinalini's daughter Mallika is a noted dancer, actress and an activist.
The legendary dancer died in Ahmedabad in 2016.