Obituary: Kathak legend Kumudini Lakhia passes at 95

Eminent Kathak exponent and choreographer Kumudini Lakhia passed away at her residence in Ahmedabad on Saturday at the age of 95 from age-related ailments. She was conferred the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, on Republic Day this year in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Kathak.

"Kumudiniben passed away at her home in Ahmedabad at around 11 am. She was 95 and suffering from some age-related ailment for the last three months," said Parul Thakore, administrator of Kadamb Centre for Dance and Music that Lakhia founded in Ahmedabad in 1964.

Born on 17 May 1930 in Ahmedabad, Lakhia went on to become a celebrated Indian Kathak dancer and choreographer. At Kadamb Centre, she developed the technique, vocabulary and repertoire of Kathak dance. She also worked as a choreographer for the Hindi film Umrao Jaan (1981), among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to her and said her passion towards Kathak and Indian classical dances were reflected in her remarkable work over the years.

"Deeply saddened by the passing of Kumudini Lakhia ji, who made a mark as an outstanding cultural icon. Her passion towards Kathak and Indian classical dances was reflected in her remarkable work over the years," Modi said in a post on X.

"A true pioneer, she also nurtured generations of dancers. Her contributions will continue to be cherished. Condolences to her family, students and admirers. Om Shanti," he added.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel also expressed grief over her demise, and described her "pride of Gujarat and India in the field of classical art".

"She trained many disciples in classical dance and exhibited the glory of Kathak dance in the country and the world. May God grant peace to her soul and give strength to her relatives and countless disciples and admirers to bear this grief. Om Shanti," he posted on X.

Lakhia won numerous prestigious awards such as Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Kalidas Samman, and Gaurav Puraskar from the Gujarat government in recognition of her contribution to the world of Indian dance.

She started doing choreography in 1973 with a small group of students and her endeavour was to transform the presentation of Kathak dance with innovative ways for contemporary expression.

She also presented lectures on 'creativity and performance in dance' at universities in India, USA, and Europe. She learned from various gurus and was also trained under Shambhu Maharaj at the Bharatiya Kala Kendra on a scholarship from the Indian government.