One-time Sangeet Natak Akademi awards for 84 artists
The Sangeet Natak Akademi, on September 15, made a significant announcement of special one-time awards, commemorating 75 years of India's independence, to 84 artists aged above 75 years who have not received any national honors in their illustrious careers.
These unique 'Amrit' awards will be presented by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar this coming Saturday.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards are a prestigious national recognition bestowed upon performing artists, educators, and scholars in the realm of performing arts, as stated by Sandhya Purecha, the Akademi's chairperson.
The awardees have been meticulously chosen by the Akademi's General Council, comprised of eminent musicians, dancers, theatre artists, and scholars across various disciplines, along with nominations from the Centre, States, and Union Territories.
Each recipient of this honor will receive a substantial cash prize of ₹1,00,000 along with a commendation.
These accolades have been distributed across diverse categories, encompassing Hindustani and Carnatic vocal and instrumental performances, folk arts, classical dance forms such as Bharatnatyam and Kathak, and excellence in playwriting and direction.
Some of the distinguished awardees include Raghubir Malik and Dina Nath Mishra for their outstanding contributions to Hindustani vocal music, Gowri Kuppuswamy and Anasuya Kulkarni for their remarkable Carnatic vocal performances, Lalitha Srinivasan and Vilasini Devi Krishnapillai for their excellence in Bharatnatyam, and Smita Shastri and Kumkum Lal for their remarkable contributions to Kuchipudi and Odishi dance forms, respectively.
These prestigious accolades also extend to the folk genre, honoring talents like Mahabir Nayak from Jharkhand for his musical prowess, Harishchandra Prabhakar Borkar from Maharashtra for his exceptional contributions to theatre, and Dharmeswar Nath of Assam for his remarkable achievements in the realm of dance.
