Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 4: Yamini Krishnamurti, the renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer, passed away at Apollo Hospital in New Delhi on Saturday. She was 83.
Krishnamurti had been suffering from age-related issues and had been in the ICU for the past seven months, according to her manager and secretary, Ganesh.
Her mortal remains will be taken to her institute, Yamini School of Dance in Hauz Khas, at 9 am on Sunday. Details regarding her last rites are yet to be finalised.
Krishnamurti is survived by two sisters.
Born on December 20, 1940, in Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district, she was the daughter of Sanskrit scholar M Krishnamurti. She began her dance training at the age of five at the Kalakshetra School of Dance in Chennai, under the guidance of the legendary Bharatanatyam dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale.
In addition to Bharatanatyam, Krishnamurti was proficient in Kuchipudi and expanded her repertoire by learning Odissi from renowned artists such as Pankaj Charan Das and Kelucharan Mohapatra. She was also trained in Carnatic vocals and the veena.
Krishnamurti was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1968 at the age of 28, the Padma Bhushan in 2001, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016. She also received the Sangeet Natak academy Award in 1977.
Veteran dancer and one of her first students, Rama Vaidyanathan, praised Krishnamurti for bringing "power, beauty, and glamour" to Bharatanatyam. Vaidyanathan recalled how Krishnamurti was deeply absorbed in her art, even composing dance pieces during a train journey.
Condolences poured in on X, with former Rajya Sabha MP and Bharatanatyam dancer Sonal Mansingh describing Krishnamurti as having "blazed like a meteor in the sky." Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed his sorrow, offering thoughts and prayers to Krishnamurti's family.
The famous Kuchipudi couple Raja and Radha Reddy noted that Krishnamurti had "attained moksham at the feet of Nataraja," describing her death as a significant loss to the dance world. Bharatanatyam exponent Jayalakshmi Eshwar remembered Krishnamurti for making the dance form known globally and for her affectionate nature.
The Sangeet Natak Academy also mourned her passing, stating, "Sangeet Natak academy and its associate bodies deeply mourn the sad demise of Yamini Krishnamurti, a leading Bharatanatyam exponent, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow, and Padma Vibhushan Awardee. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayers for strength to bear this irreparable loss."