Founded by the renowned danseuse, Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1936, Kalakshetra is the leading school of classical dance, music and fine arts. Located in the heart of Chennai, Kalakshetra means “the Temple of Art”. The foundation of this institute was an effort to preserve the old dance form, Bharatnatyam, which was falling to disrepute. Originally, this institute was named as the International centre of the Arts.

Rukmini Devi was determined to revive the dance to make respectable and acceptable among common people. Due to the sincere efforts of Rukmini Devi, the institute and the various Indian art forms got national and international acclaim. The institute has students coming from all parts of the world to learn Indian art and culture.

Kalakshetra in Chennai has increased manifolds since its inception and it was shifted to a new large campus. Kalakshetra is situated at a 100 acre land in the Thiruvanmiyur in South Chennai. There is a huge banyan tree in the centre of the campus and the various classes are held in the cottages. Among the students of the institute, a reverenceto the art is inculcated. The campus also includes a rich museum, known as the Rukmini Devi Museum which houses a timeless collection of art works, bronze artifacts, rare bronze idols, glass and ceramic wares, wooden sculptures, paintings and textile.

The most exciting and interesting thing about the institute is, it still follows guru-shishya traditions of ancient times. The lessons in dance, music and other forms are imparted by the guru shishya tradition. Another interesting feature is in various art forms, modern elements were also incorporated to make them interesting for the commoners. These can be seen in the dance compositions. Kalakshetra has a theater inside the campus which is designed according to the principles of the Natya Shashtra. Dance dramas are staged which are composed after researching the works of famous Sanskrit scholars.

Besides dance, Chennai Kalakshetra also has the Craft Education and Research Centre. It is known for its works for reviving South Indian saree patterns. Many people seek their livelihood by making these beautiful sarees at Kalakshetra.