Sitara Devi - Queen of Dance

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Sitara Devi (8 November 1920-25 November 2014) was an eminent classical Kathak dancer of India who was described as 'Nritya Samragni' which means the Express of dance, by Shri Rabindranath Tagore, after watching her performance when he was 16 years old. The legend also encouraged her to revitalize the Indian arts through the Kathak. Born in Kolkata, India, Sitara Devi was named Dhanalakshmi as she was born on the auspicious day of Diwali. She belonged to the traditional Brahmin family of Varanasi. Her father, Sukhadev Maharaj was a Kathak performer, teacher, and Sanskrit Scholar. He earned a living through performances and teaching and her mother Masyakumari belongs to the Royal family of Nepal. Kathak was a source of Income and passion of Sukhadev Maharaj which he passed on to his daughters Alaknanda, Tara, and Dhanlakshmi and his sons Chaube and Pande.

The 'Kathak Queen of India' has performed in many corners of India and several other countries. In 1967, she performed at the Royal Albert Hall, London, and in 1967 at the Carnegie Hall, New York.

She started her dancing career by performing at the Jehangir Hall, Mumbai where she performed her Kathak in the presence of Sarojini Naidu, Rabindranath Tagore, and Sir Cowasji Jehangir. At the age of 12, she was selected by a filmmaker and a dance sequence in the Hindi Bollywood films including Usha Haran, Roti, and Vatan. She is known or her works in Bollywood films like Nagina, Mother India, Devdas, and Professor Woman M.Sc. The choreographer of Kathak since the 1930s has received several awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Padmashri, Kalidas Samman, Nritya Nirupama, and the Indian Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution ranging over six decades to classical dance.

She was an accomplished dancer in many other styles of dancing including Bharatanatyam folk, Russian ballet, and few other dances of the western world. She taught Bollywood celebrities such as Madhubala, Rekha, Mala Sinha, and Kajol. When he was given Padma Bhusan by Government of India she declined it saying it's an insult and she deserved Bharat Ratna for her contribution to Kathak dance form. On November 08, 2017, Google showed a Doodle in India for Sitara Devi's 97th birthday.

Legends like her break societal norms and work for the upliftment of others and themselves.