Darpana Academy of Performing Arts
Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, founded in 1949 by Vikram and Mrinalini Sarabhai, has spent 75 years nurturing classical arts and using them for social transformation. With over 35,000 students trained in dance, music, theatre, and puppetry, Darpana has performed in 100+ countries, revived dying art forms like Bhavai and Andhra shadow puppetry, and empowered marginalised communities through the arts. At its core is a belief that the arts can educate, inspire, and drive change. Today, Darpana works with over 2,000 underprivileged children, teaches hundreds of students the values of humanness, discipline and focus, and produces performances and media addressing gender, environment, and human rights. With no government grants, Darpana sustains itself through community support, making art accessible and transformative for all, while remaining rooted in cultural excellence.