Vajira Chitrasena

Deshamanya Vijira Chitrasena
වජිරා චිත්‍රසේන
Born
Vajira Perera

(1932-03-15)15 March 1932
Galle, British Ceylon
Died23 September 2024(2024-09-23) (aged 92)
Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
Other namesVajira Dias15 March 1932 – September 2024
EducationMethodist College, Colombo
Alma materSri Palee Campus
Occupation(s)Dancer, dance teacher
OrganizationChitrasena-Vajira Dance Foundation
Known forfirst Sri Lankan female Kandyan dancer
SpouseChitrasena (m. 1951 – 2004) (his death)
AwardsPadma Shri (2020)

Deshamanya Vajira Chitrasena (15 March 1932 – 23 September 2024) was a Sri Lankan traditional dancer, choreographer and teacher.[1] Vajira is regarded as Sri Lanka's first prima ballerina. She is the first Sri Lankan woman to practise the traditional Kandyan dance which was traditionally performed only by men.[2] Vajira is credited with creating brand for a female style of Kandyan dancing and setting the tone for women to become ritual dancers.[3] She was married to Chitrasena who was a well known legendary dancer and dance guru.[4]

On 26 January 2020, she along with late professor Indra Dassanayake was conferred with the Padma Shri award which is one of the highest Indian civilian awards coinciding with the 71st Republic Day of India.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ Devapriya, Uditha (5 February 2020). "Vajira". Medium. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Vajira Chitrasena: A story of peerless elegance". Sunday Observer. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  3. ^ "A life dedicated to dance". Daily News. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  4. ^ Kothari, Sunil (26 August 2019). "Sri Lankan dance legend Chitrasena: A contemporary of Uday Shankar". The Asian Age. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  5. ^ Srinivasan, Meera (26 January 2020). "Two Sri Lankan women receive Padma awards for contribution to arts, language teaching". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  6. ^ admin (26 January 2020). "Chitrasena, Dassanayake awarded highest civilian award in India | Colombo Gazette". Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  7. ^ says, Laleenie Hulangamuwa (26 January 2020). "Lankans, Vajira Chitrasena and the Late Prof.Indra Dassanayake, get India's Padma Shri award". NewsIn.Asia. Retrieved 11 May 2020.