4. Rukmini Devi Arundale

Famed Bharatnatyam exponent and founder of Kalakshetra, Rukmini Devi Arundale was the proud recipient of 1956 Padma Bhushan. An activist of animal rights and welfare, it is believed that Rukmini Devi once declined the chair of the President of India, offered to her by the then Prime Minister of India, Morarji Desai. She is known for her visionary work in the field of dance, education, and culture. Rukmini Devi contributed immensely to the renaissance of Indian Classical Music. She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1967 and features in India Today’s list of “100 People Who Shaped India.”