Indrani Rahman
Encyclopedia
Indrani Rahman was an Indian classical dancer, of Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi
, Kathakali
and Odissi
, which she popularized in the west, and later settled in New York in 1976.
In 1952, she won the Miss India
pageant. Later, she joined her mother Ragini Devi's company. She popularized the Indian classical dance form, Odissi during her international tours. Indrani had received the Padma Shri
in 1969 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the performing arts and also the Taraknath Das Award.
, (then Madras) to Ramalal Balram Bajpai (1880–1962), an Indian nationalist and president of the Indo-American League, and Esther Luella Sherman born in Petoskey, Michigan
in 1893, (died 1982), who changed her name to 'Ragini Devi', once the couple moved to India, in 1920s, when Ramlal Bajpai, a chemist turned successful importer in US, returned to India and later remained Asst. Editor to the Young India magazine, published by Lala Lajpat Rai
; after Independence of India, he became the Consulate General of India at New York
. Ragini on her part became renowned all over the world for her role in revival of Indian classical dance in the 1930s, especially Kathakali
, after her fateful encounter with the great rajadasi, Jetti Tayamma in Karnataka, from whom she started learning Bharata Natyam, and also from Gauri Amma of Chennai.
of Bharata Natyam from Guru Chokkalingam Pillai (1893–1968) in 1940s. Soon she was in Vijaywada, learning Kuchipudi
from Korada Narsimha Rao with whom she later toured may parts of the world.
In 1947, Indrani attracted the attention of India's leading dance and art critic Dr. Charles Fabri, who later encouraged her to go to Orissa and learn the little known classical dance form of Odissi
, making her the first professional dancer to learn Odissi. After learning Odissi for three years, from Guru Sri Deba Prasad Das, she went on to popularize it, through performance in various parts of India and the world.
In 1952, already married, and with a child, she became the first Miss India, and went on to compete in the Miss Universe 1952
Pageant, held at Long Beach, California
. Soon, she travelling along with her mother and performing all over the world. In 1961, she was the first dancer presented on a national tour by the Asia Society, and also performed for US President John F. Kennedy
and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
, during Nehru's official visit to Washington, D.C.
, and in the following years she also performed for Emperor Haile Selassie, Queen Elizabeth II, Mao Zedong
, Nikita Khrushchev
, and Fidel Castro
. In 1976 she became a faculty member of the dance division at the Juilliard School
at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
, taught in various American universities, including Harvard, and spent her remaining two decades in the United States, touring extensively.
Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi is a Classical Indian dance form Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also popular all over South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Divi Taluka of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practicing this traditional dance form, it acquired the...
, Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
and Odissi
Odissi
Odissi, also spelled Orissi , is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates from the state of Orissa, in eastern India. It is the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences. The classic treatise of Indian dance, Natya Shastra, refers to it as...
, which she popularized in the west, and later settled in New York in 1976.
In 1952, she won the Miss India
Miss India
Miss India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant in India, one of the most recognized contests to produce international beauty queens in the 90s, which annually selects three winners to compete globally. It is organized by Femina, a women's magazine published by Bennett, Coleman & Co...
pageant. Later, she joined her mother Ragini Devi's company. She popularized the Indian classical dance form, Odissi during her international tours. Indrani had received the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
in 1969 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the performing arts and also the Taraknath Das Award.
Early life
Indrani Rahman was born in ChennaiChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, (then Madras) to Ramalal Balram Bajpai (1880–1962), an Indian nationalist and president of the Indo-American League, and Esther Luella Sherman born in Petoskey, Michigan
Petoskey, Michigan
Petoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,080. It is the county seat of Emmet County....
in 1893, (died 1982), who changed her name to 'Ragini Devi', once the couple moved to India, in 1920s, when Ramlal Bajpai, a chemist turned successful importer in US, returned to India and later remained Asst. Editor to the Young India magazine, published by Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai was an Indian author, freedom fighter and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for freedom from the British Raj. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari or Sher-e-Punjab meaning the samem and was part of the Lal Bal Pal trio...
; after Independence of India, he became the Consulate General of India at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Ragini on her part became renowned all over the world for her role in revival of Indian classical dance in the 1930s, especially Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
, after her fateful encounter with the great rajadasi, Jetti Tayamma in Karnataka, from whom she started learning Bharata Natyam, and also from Gauri Amma of Chennai.
Career
Indrani started learning dance in her mother’s company, at age nine, and accompanied her as she travelled through, Americas, and Europe. Professionally, she first started with Bharata Natyam, having learnt the Pandanallur stylePandanallur style
The Pandanallur style of Bharata Natyam is mainly attributed to Minakshisundaram Pillai . He was a dance Guru who lived in the village of Pandanallur, which is in the Thanjavur district in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-The teachers:...
of Bharata Natyam from Guru Chokkalingam Pillai (1893–1968) in 1940s. Soon she was in Vijaywada, learning Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi is a Classical Indian dance form Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also popular all over South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Divi Taluka of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practicing this traditional dance form, it acquired the...
from Korada Narsimha Rao with whom she later toured may parts of the world.
In 1947, Indrani attracted the attention of India's leading dance and art critic Dr. Charles Fabri, who later encouraged her to go to Orissa and learn the little known classical dance form of Odissi
Odissi
Odissi, also spelled Orissi , is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates from the state of Orissa, in eastern India. It is the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences. The classic treatise of Indian dance, Natya Shastra, refers to it as...
, making her the first professional dancer to learn Odissi. After learning Odissi for three years, from Guru Sri Deba Prasad Das, she went on to popularize it, through performance in various parts of India and the world.
In 1952, already married, and with a child, she became the first Miss India, and went on to compete in the Miss Universe 1952
Miss Universe 1952
Miss Universe 1952, the very first Miss Universe pageant, was held on June 28, 1952 at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, USA. 30 contestants competed for the crown...
Pageant, held at Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. Soon, she travelling along with her mother and performing all over the world. In 1961, she was the first dancer presented on a national tour by the Asia Society, and also performed for US President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, during Nehru's official visit to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and in the following years she also performed for Emperor Haile Selassie, Queen Elizabeth II, Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
, Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, and Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. In 1976 she became a faculty member of the dance division at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
, taught in various American universities, including Harvard, and spent her remaining two decades in the United States, touring extensively.
Personal life
She married Habib Rahman (1915–1995), a well-known architect, in 1945, the couple had a son, artist, Ram Rahman, and a daughter, Sukanya Rahman (Wicks), who also danced with her mother and grandmother, and grandsons, Wardreath Wicks and Habib Wicks.Awards
- 1952: Femina Miss India
- 1969: Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
- 1981: Sangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
Further reading
- Dancing In The Family, by Sukanya Rahman. 2001, Harper Collins India, ISBN 81-7223-438-4.
- Dance dialects of India, by Ragini Devi. Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1990. ISBN 81-208-0674-3, 9788120806740.