Sitara Devi (born Dhanlakshmi; 8 November 1920 – 25 November 2014) was an Indian classical dancer of the Kathak style, a singer, and an actress. Across a long career she performed at several prestigious venues in India and abroad, and is regarded by many as the "Kathak Queen".
| Born | 8 November 1920 (as Dhanlakshmi) |
|---|---|
| Died | 25 November 2014 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Known for | Kathak dance, singing, acting |
| Notable epithet | Nritya Samragni (नृत्य सम्राज्ञी), "Empress of Dance" |
| Notable performances | Royal Albert Hall, London (1967); Carnegie Hall, New York (1976) |
Born Dhanlakshmi on 8 November 1920, she went on to train and perform in the Kathak tradition, one of the principal classical dance forms of India. She also worked as a singer and as a film actress, in addition to her stage career as a dancer.
Sitara Devi performed widely both within India and overseas. Among her internationally noted performances were appearances at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1967 and at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1976, two of the most prominent concert venues in the world.
At the age of sixteen, she met the poet Rabindranath Tagore, who, after watching her perform, affectionately described her as Nritya Samragni — the "Empress of Dance". The title remained associated with her throughout her career.
Sitara Devi was among the leading exponents of Kathak in the twentieth century. Through her stage performances in India and abroad she contributed to the international visibility of Indian classical dance, and she received several awards and accolades during her lifetime. She is widely remembered by the title bestowed by Tagore and is often referred to as the "Kathak Queen".