Rukmini Rasiah of Yogaville

🪔 About

Rukmini Rasiah, affectionately known as 'Amma Rasiah,' was a pivotal figure in the establishment and promotion of Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam, in the United States. Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, she lived to the remarkable age of 105, passing away on August 26, 2023. A devoted follower of Sri Swami Satchidanandaji Maharaj, Rukmini Rasiah served for two decades as the Director of the Fine Arts Society at the Satchidananda Ashram in Kandy, Sri Lanka. In the early 1980s, due to political upheaval in Sri Lanka, Swami Satchidananda invited Mrs. Rasiah and her family to relocate to America to establish a Fine Arts Society at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville, Virginia. Under her dynamic leadership and management, the Fine Arts Society of Yogaville was inaugurated in 1984. The society's mission was to foster music, dance, and drama among people of all nations, affirming the unity of art and spirituality. Though not a Bharatanatyam performer or direct teacher herself, Rukmini Rasiah was instrumental in organizing and facilitating significant dance education programs. She arranged Bharatanatyam Residential Teachers Workshops led by Guru Padmashree Adyar K Lakshman from 1990 to 1994. Furthermore, she successfully managed the Residential Natya Adhyayana Gurukulam (Annual Bharatanatyam Summer Camps) from 1989 to 2013, bringing world-renowned artistes Padma Bhushan Sri V.P. and Smt. Shanta Dhananjayan to teach. Her efforts were crucial in exposing Western audiences to and fostering appreciation for Bharatanatyam. For her tireless dedication, Rukmini Rasiah received the Integral Yoga International Lifetime Achievement Award and the title 'Guru Seva Ratna' in 2008. On her centenarian birthday on January 22, 2018, she was honored with the special title 'Satchidananda Padma Shiromani' (Supreme Jewel of the Lotus of Satchidananda). Her legacy continues through the Fine Arts Society and her daughter, Padmarani Rasiah-Cantu, an accomplished Bharatanatyam artist and the artistic director of the society. Awards & Honours: Integral Yoga International Lifetime Achievement Award (2008), Guru Seva Ratna (2008), Satchidananda Padma Shiromani (2018).