Rukmini Devi: A LifeOn 30 December 1935, thirty one year old Rukmini Devi created history with her performance of Sadir, later known as Bharata Natyam, which had until then been confined to temple precincts and was the preserve of devadasis. A celebrated artiste and dancer, she was also a Theosophist, a composer of acclaimed dance dramas, an educationist, an animal welfare and child rights activist, and a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. This rich biography