Zohra Sehgal, Actor, Dancer
Actor, Dancer

Zohra Sehgal

Born 27 April 1912 · Pakistan — Died 10 July 2014

Performed in the British film 'Bhaji on the Beach' in 1993, gaining international acclaim.

Zohra Mumtaz Sehgal was an Indian actress, dancer, and choreographer. Having begun her career as a member of a contemporary dance troupe, she transitioned into acting roles beginning in the 1940s. Sehgal appeared in several British films, television shows, and Bollywood productions in a career that spanned over eight decades.

✨

A detail that
surprised us

“

Zohra Sehgal was the first Indian to study at Mary Wigman's modern dance school in Dresden, Germany, after traveling overland from Lahore through Iran and Syria in 1930.

The Story

1
At the age of one, Zohra Sehgal lost vision in her left eye to glaucoma and was treated in Birmingham, England, at a cost of £300—an extraordinary medical journey for a colonial-era Indian child.
2
🎭 In 1935, she joined Uday Shankar's dance troupe, pioneering a fusion of Indian classical and Western modern dance that toured Europe, revolutionizing how Indian art was perceived abroad.
3🌍 In 1930, Zohra embarked on a remarkable car journey from Lahore to Europe via Iran, Palestine, Syria, and Egypt, culminating in her becoming the first Indian admitted to Mary Wigman's modern dance school in Dresden, Germany.
4In 1945, she began a 14-year association with Prithviraj Kapoor’s Prithvi Theatre, earning a monthly salary of INR 400, a significant sum then, while helping to shape modern Indian theatre.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Vibhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

At age one, Zohra Sehgal lost sight in her left eye due to glaucoma and was treated in Birmingham, England, at significant cost during the British colonial era, highlighting her family's unusual access to international healthcare in 1913.

🖼️

Through the Years

1 photograph from the archives
Zohra Sehgal receiving the Padma Vibhushan Award from President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi (2010).
Zohra Sehgal receiving the Padma Vibhushan Award from President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi (2010).
2010

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Sahibzadi Zohra Mumtazullah Khan was born into a traditional Muslim family in Rampur, then part of British India.
1912
📚
Education
Journey to Europe by car
Traveled from Lahore to Dresden through Iran, Palestine, Syria, and Egypt, before enrolling in Mary Wigman's dance school.
1930
⚡
Career
Joined Uday Shankar's dance troupe
Began professional career as a dancer in a troupe that fused Indian classical and Western dance, touring Europe.
1935
⚡
Career
Joined Prithvi Theatre
Worked with Prithviraj Kapoor's Prithvi Theatre for 14 years, earning INR 400 monthly and shaping modern Indian theatre.
1945
⚡
Career
Debuted on British television
Appeared in BBC adaptation of Kipling's 'The Rescue of Pluffles' and in Doctor Who episodes now lost.
1964
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Shri
Received one of India's highest civilian honors for distinguished service in the arts.
1998
🏅
Award
Received Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
Honored with the highest lifetime achievement award from India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.
2004
🏅
Award
Conferred Padma Vibhushan
Awarded India’s second-highest civilian honor recognizing her contributions to Indian arts and culture.
2010
🕊️
Death
Passed away in New Delhi
Died at the age of 102 due to cardiac arrest, leaving behind a legacy spanning eight decades.
2014
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 05
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

In 1930, she undertook a rare overland car journey from Lahore to Europe via Iran, Palestine, Syria, and Egypt, before enrolling in a prestigious German dance school, an extraordinary feat for an Indian woman at that time.

02 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Zohra Sehgal appeared in three episodes of Doctor Who in the mid-1960s, making her one of the earliest South Asian actors on British television, though those episodes are now lost.

03 / 05
🔍LESSER KNOWN

She was paid INR 400 per month while working with Prithviraj Kapoor’s Prithvi Theatre in the 1940s, a substantial salary reflecting her importance in the troupe during India's pre-independence era.

No quote recorded for Zohra Sehgal yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Government has no house for Zohra Sehgal
·YouTube
More from this archive
Government has no house for Zohra Sehgal
01
Government has no house for Zohra Sehgal
YouTube
Zohra Sehgal: Lesser Know Facts About Bollywood's Favourite Dadi
02
Zohra Sehgal: Lesser Know Facts About Bollywood's Favourite Dadi
YouTube
Zohra Sehgal | Actress & Dancer | आज के नाम
03
Zohra Sehgal | Actress & Dancer | आज के नाम
YouTube
Yaad Na Jaaye - Zohra Sehgal
04
Yaad Na Jaaye - Zohra Sehgal
YouTube
Inspiration From Ms. Zohra Sehgal
05
Inspiration From Ms. Zohra Sehgal
YouTube
Grand old voice of veteran actress Zohra Sehgal
06
Grand old voice of veteran actress Zohra Sehgal
YouTube
ज़ोहरा सहगल जीवनी - Biography of Zohra Sehgal in Hindi Jivani#zohrasehgal#bollywood #shorts
07
ज़ोहरा सहगल जीवनी - Biography of Zohra Sehgal in Hindi Jivani#zohrasehgal#bollywood #shorts
YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

Zohra Sehgal transformed Indian performing arts by bridging traditional dance and modern theatre, influencing institutions like Prithvi Theatre and the Indian People's Theatre Association. Her pioneering presence in British media expanded South Asian representation internationally, while her awards like the Padma Vibhushan recognized the legitimacy of performing arts as a lifelong pursuit.

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