New Delhi,Sep 16 (UNI) Renowned Indian classical dancer, scholar, writer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Kapila Vatsyayan passed away here on Wednesday. She was 91. Vatsyayan, who was also the founding director of Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts, according to sources, died due to age-related ailments.
Born on December 25, 1928, she studied English literature from Delhi University, before going to University of Michigan for Masters in Education. Later she did her Phd from Banaras Hindu University.
In 1987, she founded the eminent Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts in the National Capital and was appointed as the director of the institution in 1993.
During Indian National Congress-led Union Progressive Alliance government in 2005, Vatsyayan was appointed as the secretary to the Ministry of Human Resources and Development and also found a place in Parliament after being nominated as Rajya Sabha member in 2006. But within a few months, she resigned.
Vatsyayan was reappointed in 2007 to the House of Elders.
She is a recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian honour.
She was married to noted Hindi writer Sachchidananda Vatsyayan, but their marriage survived for 13 years and got separated in 1969.
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