PM Modi Expresses Anguish At Passing Away of French Kathakali Dancer Milena Salvini

Mobile News 24x7 Bureau January 26, 2022

2 minutes read

New Delhi, Jan 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed anguish at the passing away of Italy-born French national Milena Salvini, who was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2019 for her contribution to the classical art form of Kathakali.

In a tweet, the PM said that Salvini would be remembered for her passion towards Indian culture and that she made numerous efforts to popularize Kathakali across France. “Ms. Milena Salvini will be remembered for her passion towards Indian culture. She made numerous efforts to further popularise Kathakali across France.

I am anguished by her passing away. My thoughts are with her family and well-wishers. May her soul rest in peace.” The Indian Embassy in France said that Salvini passed away yesterday. “One of the finest exponents of Kathakali, Padma Shri Ms. Milena Salvini passed away yesterday; As a founder director of “Centre Mandapa” in Paris, she promoted & taught Indian dance & music for more than four decades in France. Deepest condolences.” She had been honoured with the ICCR Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015. Milena Salvini was born in Milan.

Ms. Milena Salvini will be remembered for her passion towards Indian culture. She made numerous efforts to further popularise Kathakali across France. I am anguished by her passing away. My thoughts are with her family and well-wishers. May her soul rest in peace.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2022

She moved to France with her mother, where she began learning music. She also studied modern dance, performing with the Ballets Contemporaines de Karin Waehner in Sensemaya by Sara Pardo in 1963. In 1962, Salvini obtained a two-year scholarship to train in Kathakali at the Kerala Kalamandalam. Upon her return to France, she established a tour by the Kathakali troupe of the Kalamandalam under the auspices of UNESCO. She married Roger Filipuzzi, an architect in 1974. Salvini and Filipuzzi opened the Mandapa Centre in Paris in 1975 to teach classical dance. In 1980, she arranged for the Kalamandalam’s Kutiyattam troupe to travel to Europe with funding from UNESCO.

In 1999, another Kutiyattam tour she organised resulted in UNESCO encouraging an application to its newly established Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity programme. Kutiyattam was added to the list in May 2001. Salvini’s daughter Isabelle Anna is also an Indian classical dancer, specialising in Kathak. Isabelle is a Kathak dancer, Choreographer, teacher at Cie Kaléidans’Scop, Dance and Music Program Director at Centre Mandapa.