Afire with Beauty: Talks and Writings

Honored as one of “100 People Who Shaped India” by the magazine India Today, Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904 – 1986) remains one of India’s most celebrated individuals. As a prominent and beloved member of the Theosophical Society, she not only devoted her life to promoting beauty and culture through dance, music and art, but was a powerful advocate for vegetarianism and animal rights. She was the first woman in Indian history to be nominated as a member of the Rajya Saba, the upper house of Parliament, and was a leader in promoting equal rights for women and encouraged their participation in education, the arts and politics. Rukmini Devi Arundale is perhaps best known for founding Kalakshetra, one of the world’s leading institutions offering instruction in traditional Indian dance, music and art. As President of the Crafts Council of India, Rukmini Devi was instrumental in revitalizing interest in traditional Indian weaving and dyeing techniques.

Although a number of biographies have been written about Rukmini Devi, and several picture books have been published about her legendary work in dance, she never wrote a full-length book of her own. Afire with Beauty is the first published collection of Rukmini Devi’s writings and talks, and includes archival photographs of this outstanding woman taken throughout her long, productive and fascinating life.