Bharatanatyam maestro Yamini Krishnamurthy started learning the traditional art form at a very young age. Growing up in a place like Chidambaram, the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibushan awardee once said that Karanas sculpted on the walls of the temples had made a huge impact in her mind and she had always been awed by various postures of Nataraja. Her father Krishnamurti, who was a Sanskrit scholar, sacrificed his career to support her interest in dance.
She learned Bharathanatyam at Kalakshetra (Madras) under Rukmini Devi Arundale. She had learnt Kutchipudi under great teachers like Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry, Pasumarthi Venu Gopal Sharma, Chinta Krishnamurthy and Vedantam Satyanarayana Sharma. Her training in Odissi was under teachers like Pankaj Charan Das and Kelucharan Mohapatra.
Towards the end of her life, she was living in New Delhi, running the institute Nritya Kaustubha.
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Special Arrangement
A file picture of dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy with Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
The doyen of Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Odissi Yamini Krishnamurthy had been practicing classical dance since her childhood.
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The Hindu Archives
Yamini Krishnamurthy grew up in Chidambaram in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
The dancer has procured the prestigious Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awards.
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The Hindu Archive
Yamini learnt Kutchipudi under great teachers like Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry, Pasumarthi Venu Gopal Sharma, Chinta Krishnamurthy and Vedantam Satyanarayana Sharma.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
Yamini Krishnamurthy had always been awed by various postures of Nataraja and sculptures on temple walls.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
Yamini Krishnamurthy trained in Bharathanatyam at Kalakshetra (Madras) under Rukmini Devi Arundale.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
Yamini lived in New Delhi and ran the institute named Nritya Kaustubha.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
At the age of 17, Yamini Krishnamurthy gave her first solo performance in 1957.
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DEBATOSH SENGUPTA
Yamini Krishnamurthy, performing Bharatnatyam for the aid of poor kidney patients organised by Swar Rang.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
Pandit Birju Maharaj and Yamini Krishnamurthy at a function in New Delhi on Friday.
Photo:
The Hindu Archives
Yamini Krishnamurti is renowned for her elegant stage presence, sculpture-like stance, expressive eyes.