Rukmini Devi Arundale Biography

Rukmini Devi Arundale was an Indian classical dancer who led the renaissance of the ‘Bharatnatyam’ dance form and founded the Kalakshetra Foundation in Madras (now Chennai). She was also a theosophist who was greatly inspired by Annie Besant, the Theosophical Society’s British cofounder and president. Born into an upper class Brahmin family in India, she grew up in an environment where she was exposed to dance, music and culture. Her father was involved with the theosophical society and soon the young girl too followed suit. Eventually her interest in theosophy led her to marry a fellow theosophist, the British Dr. George Arundale, much to the shock of the traditional society she grew up in. Along with her husband she traveled all around the world meeting other theosophists and sharing ideas. Deeply involved in theosophical activities, she became the President of the All-India Federation of Young Theosophists. It was her meeting with the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova which kindled in her a profound interest in the art form. Inspired by the Russian, she decided to discover traditional Indian dance forms and began learning Bharatnatyam and eventually founded an academy of dance and music. She played a vital role in revitalizing Bharatnatyam and popularizing it all over the world.