Ram Gopal

Gopal, Ram (b Bangalore, 20 Nov. 1917, d 12 Oct. 2003). Indian dancer, choreographer, and teacher. The most important ambassador for Indian dance around the world. He studied kathakali with Kunju Kunrup, bharata natyam with Sundaram, kathak with Misra, and manipuri with Nabakumar. He first came to Europe in 1938. He brought his own company to London in 1939, and embarked on several foreign tours which introduced the world to Indian dancing and helped to make it popular. He opened the Academy for Indian Dance and Music in London in 1962. His best-known works include Dances of India, Legend of the Taj Mahal, and Dance of the Setting Sun. Author of the autobiography Rhythm in the Heavens (London, 1957).