Indian women were rare in early Singapore, arriving in larger numbers only from the 1860s onwards. This young Indian girl is dressed in a traditional sari and is believed to be from a well-to-do family. Girls of her age and background were often sent for private classes in Indian classical dance as part of their upbringing. The Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society, established in 1949, is continuing the teaching tradition of classical dance, along with other Indian performing arts.
