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   Arts scholar Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan passed away at the age of 91 in New Delhi (Dec 25, 1928 – Sept 16, 2020). She was a leading scholar of Indian classical dance, art, architecture, and art history. She was trained in Kathak by Pt Acchan Maharaj, in Manipuri by Guru Amobi Singh, in Bharatanatyam by Guru Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and in Odissi by Surendranath Jena. She was formerly a member of parliament and also served as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Education, where she was responsible for the establishment of a large number of national institutions of higher education. She served as the founding director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. She was former President of India International Centre (IIC) and an IIC Life Trustee and the Chairperson of the IIC International Research Division. Vatsyayan was the author of many books, including Dance Sculpture in Sarangapani Temple (1982), Indian Classical Dance (1992), The Square and the Circle of Indian Arts (1997), Bharata: The Natya Sastra (1996), Traditions in Indian Folk Dance (1987), and Dance in Indian Painting (2004). She was honored with John D. Rockefeller 3rd Award for outstanding professional achievement by the Asian Cultural Council in 1992, ‘Outstanding Contribution to Dance Research’ award by Congress on Research in Dance (CORD) in 1998, Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2011. Kapila Vatsyayan: The keeper of Indian art, culture and education - Dr. Arshiya Sethi My tribute to my Guru - Navina Jafa  Science Father's International Research Awards on New Science Inventions, NESIN 2020 Awards Certificate of Excellence goes to DR. MITUL SENGUPTA (Rhythmosaic School & Dance Institute/Movement Therapy, Kolkata) for BEST RESEARCH AWARD in recognition of her recently published academic article in tandfonline on dance movement therapy and autism.  MAV (Multicultural Arts Victoria) welcomes DR. PRIYA SRINIVASAN to the role of Lead, Strategic Projects, to help shape cultural equity with the sector, increase critical thinking about the value and labour of diverse artists and to join some powerful women of colour leading this change at MAV.  UMA SATHYANARAYANAN to receive KERALA SANGEETA NATAKA ACADEMY award (State award) in the field of Bharatanatyam for the year 2019. The eleventh KALASAGAR AWARDS for exemplary contribution in the field of traditional performing arts for the year 2020 will be presented on October 14 at Kunnamkulam Badhani School Palace when Gurusmaranadinam, the 28th death anniversary of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, legendary Kathakali mastero and founder of Kalasagar, will be observed in association with Kunnamkulam Kathakali Club. Kathakali: Vesham - Kalamandalam Chambakara Vijayakumar, Music - Kalanilayam Rajeevan, Chenda - Kalamandalam Balasundaran, Maddalam - Sadanam Devadas and Chutty- Kalanilayam Padmanabhan. Bharatanatyam - Kalamandalam Sarojini, Mohiniattam - Vinitha Nedungadi, Ottenthullal - Kalamandalam Parameswaran, Chakyarkoothu - Kalamandalam Jishnu Prathap, Koodiyattom - Margi Ramachakyar, Thayambaka - Porur Haridas Panchavadyam: Thimila - Vaikkom Chandran Marar, Maddalam - Kalamandalam Nataraja Warrior, Edakka - Dr.Balusseri Krishnadas, Thalam - Mattanur Ajith Marar and Kombu - Peramangalam Vijayan. As in the past, awardees are selected through nominations received from rasikas.  The GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA AWARD 2020 by Srjan, Bhubaneswar, was presented to Raj Gopal Mishra, veteran cinematographer for his invaluable contribution and lifetime achievements to the world of Odia Cinema. The GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA YUVA PRATIBHA SAMMAN was presented to Pravat Kumar Swain for Odissi dance and to Himansu Sekhar Swain for Odissi music acknowledging their dedication to their art forms. The awards were given on Sept 9, 2020 by Prof.Ganeshi Lal, Hon’ble Governor of Odisha. The Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award carries a respectable allocation of Rs. 1,00,000 and a citation. The Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Pratibha Samman has a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.  Photo by Jean-Louis Fernandez For their 2020 Yearbook, Akram Khan has been named by Tanz Magazine as Choreographer of the Year.  Nagalakshmi Rajaratnam, wife of late illustrious Guru Swamimalai Rajaratnam Pillai, passed away on the morning of August 29, 2020.  Yakshagana presenter and researcher Dr.N.Narayana Shetty passed away on August 26, 2020 at Mangalore, aged 86. He was a Tulu/Kannada scholar and a master of Chandassu from Coastal Karnataka. He was fondly called Chandobrahma (The Brahma of prosody). Dr.Shetty was born on Feb 1, 1934 to Elathuruguthu Achchanna Shetty and Nandikoor Chinkriguthu Kamalakshi. His book ‘Yakshagana Chandobudhi’ secured him a literary doctorate from Hampi University. He has written many Yakshagana prasangas including ‘Sorkuda Siriginde.’ The famous Yakshagana prasanga ‘Shri Kateel Kshetra Mahatme’ was written by Dr. Shetty when he was just 14 years old. He received the ‘Parthisubba’ award and was the first recipient of Yakshagana Award.  Celebrated Hindustani classical vocalist of the Mewati gharana, Pt Jasraj passed away in the US at the age of 90 (28 Jan 1930 – 17 Aug 2020). He was honored with the Padma Shri (1975), Padma Bhushan (1990) and Padma Vibhushan (2000).  One of India’s leading post-Independence theatre directors, an eminent drama teacher and a patron of the arts, Ebrahim Alkazi (18 Oct 1925 – 4 Aug 2020) passed away aged 95. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi for direction (1962), Padma Shri (1966), Padma Bhushan (1991) and Padma Vibushan (2010).  Mukund Lath, scholar, exponent of Mewati gharana and prominent cultural historian known for his writings on music, dance, aesthetics and culture of India, passed away on August 6, 2020. He was 82. An author of several books and articles, he was honored by the Government of India in 2010 with the Padma Shri.  Mumbai’s Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha is one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural organizations in the country. Commemorating the golden jubilee year in 2002 they set up a national eminence award in Fine Arts. The award for 2020 is to be bestowed upon the Bharatanatyam couple The Dhananjayans with the title of SANGEETHA KALA VIBHUSHAN. The award function is scheduled to be held on 5th December 2020 on the inauguration of the Sabha's annual Art Festival. The award carries a citation, traditional Tanjavur bronze lamp, award memento and a purse for Rs.2.5 lakhs.  The Padma awards have been announced. The PADMA SHRI for dance goes to Shashadhar Acharya (Chhau), Indira PP Bora (Sattriya), Vajira Chitrasena (Kandyan dance, Srilanka) and Purushottam Dadheech (Kathak).  Sonal Mansingh, Jatin Goswami, K.Kalyanasundaram Pillai, Radha Sridhar, Pasumurthy Ramalinga Sastry, Parameswaran Kuttan Chakkiyar, Surupa Sen, Gopika Varma The General Council of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, New Delhi at its meeting held on 26 June 2019 at Guwahati, Assam unanimously elected eminent personalities in the field of performing arts. The honour of Akademi Fellow carries a purse money of Rupees three lakh and Akademi Award carries Rupees one lakh besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram. -AKADEMI RATNA / AKADEMI FELLOW Zakir Hussain, Sonal Mansingh, Jatin Goswami and K.Kalyanasundaram Pillai, for Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow. -AKADEMI PURASKAR The General Council also selected 44 artists from the field of Music, Dance, Theatre, Traditional/Folk/Tribal Music/Dance/Theatre, Puppetry and Overall contribution/scholarship in the Performing Arts for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the year 2018. These 44 artists include three joint awards. Dance: nine eminent artists have been selected for the Akademi Awards 2018, namely, Radha Sridhar for Bharatanatyam, Ishira & Maulik Shah (Joint Award) for Kathak, Akham Lakshmi Devi for Manipuri, Pasumurthy Ramalinga Sastry for Kuchipudi, Surupa Sen for Odissi, Tankeswar Hazarika Borbayan for Sattriya, Gopika Varma for Mohiniattam, Tapan Kumar Pattanayak for Chhau, Deepak Mazumdar for Contemporary Dance. Theatre: Bhagawat A.S.Nanjappa –Yakshagana, A.M.Parameswaran Kuttan Chakkiyar –Kutiyattam. Folk, puppetry: Anupama Hoskere, Puppetry (String), Karnataka, Hem Chandra Goswami, Mask Making, Assam. Overall Contribution/Scholarship in the Performing Arts: Diwan Singh Bajeli and Puru Dadhich Highlights ; Obituaries |
