Renowned Kathak dancer and choreographer Kumudini Lakhia passed away Saturday early morning. She was 95.
Kumudini Lakhia was the founder of the Kadamb Centre for Dance and Music. She was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan on Republic Day this year.
Lakhia's innovations in the field of Kathak were compared to those of trailblazers such as Martha Graham, whose technique was said to have reshaped American dance.
According to Desh Gujarat, Lakhia lived in Ahmedabad with her daughter, Maitreyi Hattangadi, a noted dancer herself. Her son resides in Australia.
During her illustrious career, she was also conferred with the Padma Shri in 1987 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010, along with several other national recognitions.
After a distinguished stint as a solo dancer, Kumudini Lakhia established the KADAMB Centre for Dance in Ahmedabad, India in 1964, the Kadamb website said.
"It was at Kadamb that she focused her energies and vision on the development of the technique, vocabulary, and repertoire of the Kathak dance. Starting with a small group of students whom she trained in a rigorous routine, she started doing choreography in 1973. Her endeavour was to transform the presentation of Kathak dance with innovative ways for contemporary expression," according to the website.
Lakhia's performing company Kadamb has toured extensively around the world where it has received critical acclaim and the appreciation of connoisseurs. She had lectured on 'creativity and performance in dance' at universities in India, USA, and European countries.
Her life and work were the focus of the book Movement in Stills: The Dance and Life of Kumudini Lakhia by Reena Shah.
Her students include internationally renowned dancers and choreographers such as Aditi Mangaldas, Daksha Seth, and Prashant Shah.