Indian classical dance has lost one of its luminaries with the passing of Dr. Yamini Krishnamurthi, renowned for her mastery in Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi. The Padma Shree awardee, aged 84, was admitted to Apollo Hospital due to a series of long-standing medical issues. Despite the efforts of a dedicated multi-disciplinary medical team, Dr. Krishnamurthi passed away on Sunday afternoon.
Born on December 20, 1940, in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, Yamini Krishnamurthi made her debut in 1957. She was a student at Rukmini Devi Arundale’s Kalakshetra, a premier institution for classical dance, and received guidance from esteemed dancers like Kanchipuram Ellappa Pillai and Thanjavur Kittappa Pillai. Her training in Kuchipudi was under the tutelage of Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Shastri, Chinta Krishnamurthi, and Pasumarthy Venugopal Krishna Sharma, significantly contributing to the popularity of Kuchipudi.
In addition to her expertise in Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi, Dr. Krishnamurthi also studied Odissi with Pankaj Charan Das and Kelucharan Mohapatra. Her wide-ranging skills included training in Karatak vocal music and the vina, although her primary focus remained on the classical dance forms of Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi.
Dr. Krishnamurthi’s impact extended beyond her performances. In 1990, she established the Yamini School of Dance in Delhi, furthering the art forms she cherished. Her contributions to classical dance were widely recognized with numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1968, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1977, the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016.
Dr. Yamini Krishnamurthi's legacy will continue to inspire dancers and art enthusiasts, preserving the rich traditions of Indian classical dance for future generations.
