Vimala Rangachar, 97, a patron of crafts, textiles, theatre character, builder of a number of establishments and an educationist related to the reputed Mysore Education Society (MES) in Bengaluru, handed away within the metropolis on February 25 night. She was affected by age-related diseases.
Her daughter Revathi, a classical dancer primarily based within the United States of America, will attain Bengaluru on February 27 following which the final rites will probably be held the identical day.
Face of Malleswaram
Vimala Rangachar was the grand-daughter of Venkataranga Iyengar, one of many founders of Malleswaram within the late nineteenth century. The locality was residence for Vimala Rangachar all her life. She was one of many founders of Mysore Education Society (MES) in 1956 and was concerned in operating many schooling establishments of the MES until her final day. Having chaired MES for a few years, she was serving as a member of its administration committee on the time of her demine.
She is without doubt one of the founders of the Malleswaram Enterprising Women’s Society (MEWS), and a patron of Seva Sadan, which she took over from Lokasundari, Nobel laureate scientist Sir C. V. Raman’s spouse who began it in 1936. She lived in an old-style stunning home at Malleswaram until her final breath.
Vimala Rangachar, born in 1929, was married to Dr. Rangachar, a health care provider and armed forces veteran, when she was simply 16 years previous, as was the observe in these days. However, it didn’t deter her. Returning from Italy the place he served throughout World War II, Dr. Rangachar arrange observe at Malleswaram. Meanwhile, Vimala Rangachar accomplished her commencement in English and Psychology, and shortly bloomed right into a multi-faceted cultural character at Malleswaram, associating herself with MES, MEWS and Seva Sadan within the Nineteen Fifties, an affiliation which continued until her demise.
Craft Council of Karnataka Chairperspon Vimala Rangachar accompanying dancer and actor Vyjayanthimala Bali across the stalls at Vastrabharana Exhibition on the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, in Bengaluru on September 30, 2011.
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I.M. Vittala Murthy (second left), Secretary, Kannada and Culture, together with Vimala Rangachar (proper), Chairperson of Craft Council, visiting a stall at ‘Kuteera-2008’, an exhibition and sale by Crafts Council of Karnataka, held at Chitrakala Parishat in Bengaluru on January 4, 2008.
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Crafts council of Karnataka Chairperson Vimala Rangachar briefing mediapersons concerning the eco-Ganesha motion, and to make use of vegetable-based colors.
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Vimala Rangachar was energetic in selling performing arts, conventional crafts, primarily textiles, one thing which she inherited from her mom Ammanni Ammal, who was recognized to design her personal sarees. Through this work, she got here involved with Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay and thought of Kamaladevi her mentor. She got here to go the Karnataka chapter of each Bharatiya Natya Sangh and Crafts Council of India that Kamaladevi arrange. She even acquired the Kamala Sanman, given in Kamaladevi’s reminiscence, in 2004. She was introduced the Rajyotsava award in 2003.
Theatre veteran
She was a passionate theatre particular person. She was heading a theatre troupe known as Kalajyothi. Disappointed with males taking part in ladies’s roles on stage, she took to performing, even roping in her husband to behave. Their productions of many performs by T. P. Kailasam and Pravatavani have been hits. The couple staged Kailasam’s superhit play Ammavra Ganda in Hindi to an viewers that included India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
M. S. Sathyu, Vimala Rangachar and Girish Karnad on the inauguration of the Amateur Dramatic Association (A.D.A) Centenary Celebrations on the A. D. A. Rangamandira, in Bengaluru on June 22, 2009.
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Ok. Murali Kumar
Much earlier than Ranga Shankar and even Ravindra Kalakshetra got here up in Bengaluru, Vimala Rangachar had taken the initiative to construct Amateur Dramatic Associates Theater (ADA Rangamandira), together with others, on J. C. Road.
She was amongst these chargeable for establishing the Jawahar Bal Bhavan at Cubbon Park within the early Seventies, the place she created house for theatre as effectively.
Vimala Rangachar receiving the primary copy of the guide Attendance, launched on the celebrations of the tenth anniversary of Ashish Mohan Khokar’s yr guide of Indian dance, from Chiranjeev Singh, in Bengaluru on May 31, 2008.
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Ok. Murali Kumar
“Vimala Rangachar is my cousin. From her college days, she was well-versed in socialism. Being a good friend of Kamaladevi Chattopadhaya, her interest in crafts grew. It is she who introduced me to the late G. Venkatachalam, first generation art historian, who was responsible for me joining art school in Chennai. She had good friends in Pandit Ravishankar and dancer Maya Rao. She travelled to both the USSR and the USA at the invitations of those countries, as a cultural ambassador. She even contested the Legislative Council elections in Karnataka. In many ways, she was way ahead of her times,” recounted famous artist S. G. Vasudev.
Published – February 26, 2025 12:34 pm IST
