Yamini Krishnamurthy

Mungara Yamini Krishnamurthy (20 December 1940 – 3 August 2024) was an Indian classical dancer recognized for her contributions to Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. She was a recipient of the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan (2001), Padma Vibhushan (2016) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1977).

Early life Krishnamurthy was born on 20 December 1940 in Madanapalli, in the present-day Chittoor district, of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Her father, M. Krishnamurthy, was a Sanskrit scholar. She began her dance training at the age of five at the Kalakshetra School of Dance in Madras (present-day Chennai), under the guidance of Bharatanatyam danseuse Rukmini Devi Arundale. After mastering the basic skills, she went on to study under renowned dancers such as Kanchipuram Ellappa Pillai and Thanjavur Kittappa Pillai.

Krishnamurthy would, in later interviews credit her growing up in Tamil Nadu and the local cultural environment, including the Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram as inspirations for her art.

Career Krishnamurthy started her dance career with a Bharatanatyam performance in Madras in 1957. Some of her Gurus during this period included Kanchipuram Ellappa Pillai, Kittappa Pillai, Dhandayuthapani Pillai, and Mylapore Gowri Ammal. In addition to the country, her performances took her to other countries, including the US, the UK, the then USSR, Thailand, Iran and Pakistan.

In recognition of her contributions, she was appointed as the Asthana Nartaki of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.

Krishnamurthy was a recipient of the Padma Shri (1968), Padma Bhushan (2001), and Padma Vibhushan (2016) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1977). She also received the Natya Shastra award from the Shambhavi School of Dance in 2014.

Krishnamurthy published her autobiography, A Passion for Dance, in 1995.

Death Krishnamurthy died on 3 August 2024 in New Delhi, at the age of 83.