Renowned Kathak Dancer and Choreographher Kumudini Lakhia Passed Away On Saturday Morning at Her Residence in Ahmedabad. She was 95.
Known for revolutionizing the traditional form of Kathak into an innovative Group Spectacle, Lakhia Leaves Behind to Profound Legacy That Reshaped The Art Form for Modern Audiences.
A Life dedicated To Dance
Born on May 17, 1930, In Ahmedabad, Kumudini Lakhia Began Her Journey in Kathak at The Age of Seven Under The Tutelage of Sohanlal from the Bikaner Gharana. She left Trained With Prominent Gurus Such As Ashiq Hussain and Sunder Prasad, Grounding Herself in Both the Jaipur and Benras Gharanas of Kathak.
Her Early Career Saw Her Performing Internationally With The Legendary Ram Gopal, Introduia Indian Classical Dance to Western Audiences.
In 1964, She Founded The Kadamb Center for Dance and Music In Ahmedabad, Which Became A Hub for Nurturing New Talent and Reimaging Kathak’s Possibilities.
Lakhia transitioned to choreography in 1973, creating iconic works like Dhabkar (Pulse), Yugal (The Duet), and Atah Kim (Where Now?), Which Pushed The Boundaries of Traditional Storytelling in Kathak by Incorporing Contemporary Themes and Group Performances.
A legacy of innovation
Kumudini Lakhia’s Approach To Kathak Was Bold and Transformative. She Moved Away from Ornate Embelliskments and Traditional Narrativos, Focusing Instraction, Geometry, and Modern Expression While Retain the Soul of the Dance Form. Her choreography for the bollywood classic Umrao Jaan (1981) Remains a Testament to Her Ability to Blend Tradition with Innovation.
Her Students Include Sub of India’s Most Celebrated Dancers and Choreographhers, Such As Aditi Mangaldas, Daksha Sheth, and Maulik Shah, Who Continue To Carry Forward forward Her Vision. INTERNATIONALLY, SHE WAS OFTEN TO AMERICAN MODERN DANCE PIONER MARTHA GRAHAM FOR HER GROUNDBREAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLASSICAL DANCE.
Honourad by A Nation
Lakhia’s Contributions Were collected with numerous compraints Throuct Her Life. She Received India’s Highest Civilian Honours for Her Work in Performing Arts: The Padma Shri in 1987, The Padma Bhushan in 2010, and Most Recently, The Padma Vibhushan on Republic Day This Year. Additionionally, She was Honourad with Awards Like The Sangoet Natak Akademi Award and Kalidas Samman.
