Indrani Rahman (19 September 1930, Chennai – 5 February 1999, New York) was an Indian classical dancer, of Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi, which she popularised in the west, and later settled in New York in 1976.
11/05/2019
Indrani Rahman
1. Profile :
Indrani Rahman
Indrani Rahman (1930-1999)
Indian Classical Dancer, who brought Kuchipudi Dance from the village to India's Capital, Delhi
Born Indrani Bajpai
19 September 1930
Chennai, British India
Died 5 February 1999 (aged 68)
New York, US
Occupation Indian classical dancer, choreographer,
Spouse(s) Habib Rahman, Chief Architect to the Govt of India
Awards 1969: Padma Shri
1981:Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
2.Introduction :
Indrani Rahman (19 September 1930, Chennai – 5 February 1999, New York) was an Indian classical dancer, of Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi, which she popularised 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 popularised 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.
INDRANI AT SCHOOL DAYS
3. Background and family :
Indrani Rahman was born in Chennai (then Madras), the daughter of Ramalal Balram Bajpai (1880–1962), sometime president of the Indo-American League, by his wife Ragini Devi (nee Esther Luella Sherman). Her father, Ramalal Bajpai, was of north Indian background, a chemist who went to the USA for higher education. There he met and married Esther Luella Sherman, an American by birth. Born in Petoskey, Michigan in 1893, (died 1982), Esther embraced Hinduism upon her wedding and took the name 'Ragini Devi.'
The couple moved to India in the 1920s. Ramalal then took a job as Assistant Editor of Young India, the magazine founded by Lala Lajpat Rai. After Independence, he became the Consul General of India at New York, and president of the Indo-American League. Meanwhile, Ragini became a passionate proponent of Indian classical dance and devoted her life to their revival and nurture. This happened after a fateful meeting with the great rajadasi, (royal courtesan) Jetti Tayamma of Mysore, from whom she started learning Bharata Natyam. She then honed her dancing talents under the tutelage of Gauri Amma, a courtesan of Chennai. Ragini then became a celebrated dancer herself, and was among the most feted performers of the 1930s. Ragini also championed the revival of Kathakali during the same period.
Indrani was born in Chennai to this couple and grew up in a mixed-race household. She was brought up to be uninhibited and independent by her American mother, who encouraged her to participate in beauty pageants. As one of very few participants from across the country who could be persuaded to contest the pageant, Indrani was crowned 'Miss India' in the year 1952. When she was a schoolgirl only fifteen years old, and still underage according to Indian law, she eloped with Habib Rahman, a world renowned architect, who, at thirty, was exactly twice her age.
*Indrani Rehman after being crowned Miss India 1952, with Indian Congress leader S.K. Patil, and two of the sponsors of the contest
4. 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 style of Bharata Natyam from Guru Chokkalingam Pillai (1893–1968) in the 1940s. Soon she was in Vijaywada, learning Kuchipudi from Korada Narsimha Rao with whom she later toured many 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 popularise it, through performance in various parts of India and the world.
In 1952, although 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 was 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.
*Indrani Rehman (third from left) and the runner-up Miss Suryakumari (sixth from left) with Miss India 1952 participants
5. 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. Her grandsons are Wardreath Wicks and Habib Wicks.
6. Death :
Indrani Rahman died on 5 February 1999 in Manhattan, New York.
7. Awards :
1952: Femina Miss India
1969: Padma Shri
1981: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
8. Indrani Rahman Was Married With A Kid When She Went On To Represent India At The First Miss Universe
If it weren't for the confidence of Indrani Rahman, we wouldn't have had Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta receiving laurels at the Miss Universe pageant in the later years. At the age of 22, Indrani became the first Indian woman to participate in the international beauty contest, way back in 1952. She even wore a swimsuit with a twist!
Check out some snippets from her fabulous life!
1.When Miss Universe held it's maiden pageant on June 28, 1952, Indrani was the first one to represent the country, after being crowned Miss India the same year.
2. If you thought she could get away with the swimsuit round, well no. But hold your horses, because she looked pretty sitting with the other participants.
3. Indrani did manage to attract eyeballs among the 30 contestants. Courtesy her adorable bindi and gajra! That's called fashion with a twist.
4. Indrani was already a renowned classical dancer and a mother when she took part in the pageant.
5. She was well versed in Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi. Her training began at the age of 9.
6. At the age of 15, she got married to a well-known architect Habib Rahman and had a son and a daughter. Going by their pics, they were quite a happening couple back then!
7. Indrani was awarded the Padma Shri in 1969. She was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Taraknath Das Award.
8. She later settled in New York in 1976. Along with her mother, she continued to popularise the Indian classical dances performing all over the world.
9. In 1961, she was the first dancer present 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.
10. Indrani also performed for Emperor Haile Selassie, Queen Elizabeth II, Mao Zedong, Nikita Khrushchev, and Fidel Castro.
11. She became a faculty member of the dance division at the Juilliard School at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1976.
12. She even taught in various American universities, including Harvard, and spent her later life in the United States, touring extensively, until her death in Manhattan in 1999.
13. Check out one of her Kuchipudi dances at the Manduka Shabdam performed in California in 1968.
14. Indrani's story is surely worthy of a screenplay! Is Bollywood hearing?
THE END
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Indrani Rahman was a very talented dancer.
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