A landmark in Indian dance scholarship was achieved with the publication of Classical Indian Dance in Literature and the Arts, authored by eminent scholar Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan. Released by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the nation’s foremost institution for performing arts, the book became the first comprehensive modern study of Indian classical dance written in English.

Blending literary analysis with cultural and artistic insights, the work examined classical Indian dance not only as performance but as a deeply embedded aesthetic in Indian art, literature, and philosophy. Its publication opened new pathways for global academic engagement with Indian traditions.

In recognition of her pathbreaking contributions, Dr. Vatsyayan was awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1970 — the highest honour conferred by the Akademi.

Her work continues to influence dancers, scholars, and enthusiasts around the world, standing as a cornerstone in modern Indian dance literature.