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   Krishna Gana Sabha presented the NATYA VISARADA HA award to BALA DEVI CHANDRASHEKAR on 28th December 2025 in Chennai.  The ABHAI committee honoured gurus Jaya Chandrasekhar, Ambika Buch, Revathy Muthuswamy, Jayashree Narayanan and Samyuktha Varadarajan with the title NATYA KALA SADHAKA on January 4, 2026 at Chennai. On Dec 27, 2025, the BHARATH ARTS ACADEMY achieved the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE LARGEST KUCHIPUDI DANCE LESSON, with around 5,000 performers from across the world participating at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Gachibowli. The feat was performed to pre recorded songs. Organised in collaboration with the Telangana government, the academy broke its own Guinness record set in 2023 with 4,000 participants.  Urmila Sathyanarayanan is the convenor of the Natya Kala Conference in 2026 and 2027.  PRABHA MARATHE (Oct 8, 1936 - Dec 31, 2025) Kathak Guru PRABHA MARATHE passed away on December 31, 2025 aged 89. She was the ace disciple of guru Birju Maharaj and first lot in Delhi at Kathak Kendra in the 1960s. She also created Pune's biggest (in land size) dance school - Kala Chhaya in 1965 - where many artistes got platformed in music and dance like Bhimsen Joshi, Amjad Ali Khan and others. She engaged Guru Munnalal Shukla to teach Lucknow gharana for years. She gave space to workshops by Prerna Shrimali and all other gharanas. The space had amphitheatre, exhibition galleries and more. Her niece Rashmi Jangam took charge in the last decade to run it. Prabha Marathe is credited with popularising and documenting the techniques of Kathak. She will be remembered by the art fraternity of Pune as a pioneer and patron.  DR. UTPAL K BANERJEE (1935-2025) DR. UTPAL K BANERJEE, a scholar-commentator on performing arts for over four decades, passed away on December 22, 2025. He was 90. He has authored 23 books on Indian art and culture, and 10 on Tagore studies. He served IGNCA as National Project Director, was a Tagore Research Scholar and a recipient of Padma Shri. Dr. Banerjee's formal introduction to visual and performing arts began with courses at the University of Manchester, UK. He also held an abiding interest in management and information technology, having worked as an adviser in those fields for over thirty years. He was a regular contributor on cultural and professional programs to London BBC, All India Radio, and Indian television. As President of Utpal Sampa Kala Kendra cultural research centre, he tried to bring his life’s work and ideals to fruition through his research endeavours. The Eastern Eye was a popular column by Dr. Utpal K Banerjee in Narthaki.com. May his soul rest in peace.  For outstanding achievements and contribution in the field of music and dance, Mumbai based Bharatanatyam guru LATA RAMAN received the BHARAT SIKSHA RATNA AWARD 2025 from the New Think Foundation, Delhi, on the occasion of their National Summit held on 19th December 2025 at Delhi.  Tamil Cultural Academy presented LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to Bharatanatyam dancer PARVATHI RAVI GHANTASALA on December 20, 2025 at Image auditorium, Chennai.  All India Artists Association Shimla presented the KALA GAURAV PURASKAR to dance critic VIJAY SHANKER and Bharatanatyam dancer DR LATA SURENDRA on November 16, 2025 at Mumbai.  Roja Kannan’s Bharatha Natyalaya presented the ADYAR K LAKSHMAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR 2025 to mridangist NELLAI D KANNAN on December 16, 2025 at Mylapore Fine Arts Club auditorium, Chennai.  ADITI MANGALDAS received the DEVI AWARD for her extraordinary achievements (Pioneer of Contemporary Kathak, blending tradition with bold innovation, and nurturing and launching exceptional dance talent) from The New Indian Express on 15 December 2025 in Delhi.  On December 17, 2025 The Mylapore Fine Arts Club presented NRITHYA KALA NIPUNA to Bharatanatyam Guru KANCHANA JANARDHANAN (Jathiswaraalaya) at the club premises, Chennai.  Kartik Fine Arts awards for Dec 2025. NADANAMAMANI: Deepti Ravichandran, NRITYA PEROLI: The Dhananjayans, NATYA CHUDAR: Sanjana Ramesh, NRITHYAJOTHI AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: B. Aishwarya, NATYA KALAI ARASI: Bala Devi Chandrasekhar, MADURAI KRISHNAN MEMORIAL AWARD: V Balagurunathan, PROMISING ARTISTES IN BHARATANATYAM: Sahana Selvaganesh, NRM Abhirami, Saipriya Senthilvasan, and Smrithi Vishwanath.  On December 11, 2025 Brahma Gana Sabha honored MEENAKSHI CHITHARANJAN with NAATYA PADHMAM at RR Sabha Hall, Chennai. On December 14, 2025 the following awards were given by Bharat Kalachar at the YGP auditorium, Chennai. ACHARYA KALA BHARATHI: Padmini Krishnamurthy, VIMARSHAKA KALA BHARATHI: S Janaki, KALA SEVA BHARATHI: Mohan Das Delemound YUVA KALA BHARATHI: Riha Giri, Shruthe Raammohan, Sundaresan Pandurangan (BN) ALL ROUNDER AWARD: Kameswari Ganesan SPECIAL COMMEMORATION AWARD: Sowjanya Suresh, Sathvikaa Shankar BALA KALA BHARATHI: Akshath Piram (BN), PS Sudarsan (Bhagavata Mela)  On December 17, 2025 NIRUPAMA and TD RAJENDRA received the NATYA KALASIKHAMANI award from The Indian Fine Arts Society at Ethiraja Kalyana Nilayam, Chennai.  On December 21, 2025 Tamil Isai Sangam conferred ISAI PERARINGNAR award on CHITRA VISWESWARAN at Rajah Annamalai Mandram, Chennai.  On December 7, 2025 Ambalam presented NRITYA ARADHAKA award to Guru USHA DATAR and KALA ARADHAKA award to lighting designer T RAVI at Seva Sadan, Bangalore.  On December 4, 2025 the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Bengaluru) presented the BHAVAN-ZAKIA SHANKAR PATHAK AWARD 2024 to writer and artiste V.R. DEVIKA at BVB, Bangalore.  ILEANA CITARISTI was conferred with the NAATYACHARYA MAHANKALI NATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD 2025 by Sri Kirthi Nrithya Akademi at Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad on December 5, 2025.  Mumbai based Guru LATA RAMAN, a teacher in Bharatanatyam and classical Carnatic music, has been selected for the ‘Honorary Doctorate Award (Honoris Causa) in Performing Arts’ from Trinity Crest University, Panther Creek, Texas, USA in recognition of her exceptional accomplishments, contributions, influence and service to the performing arts sector. She received the certificate on December 19, 2025.  ILEANA CITARISTI was conferred with the CHOUSATHI YOGINI NRUTYA PRATIVA SAMMAN 2025 at the 20th International Chausathi Yogini Mahotsav organised by Nrutya Prativa at Chausathi Temple on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, on December 25, 2025.  This year's KERALA KALAMANDALAM KATHAKALI MUSIC AWARD will be awarded to KALAMANDALAM MOHANAKRISHNAN, a distinguished musician and torchbearer of the Kathakali music tradition. Over the years, Kalamandalam Mohanakrishnan has performed alongside some of the greatest Kathakali maestros, earning recognition as one of the rare artistes who has upheld and enriched the musical tradition of Kathakali on national and international stages. Ashish Mohan Khokar's ATTENDANCE ANNUAL AWARDS 2025 were given at Ravindra Kalakshetra on December 19, 2025 at Bangalore and at Kathak Kendra, New Delhi on December 27, 2025. MOHAN KHOKAR DANCE WRITING AWARD: Leela Venkataraman MAYA RAO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Ratna Kumar RAM GOPAL AWARD FOR BEST MALE SOLOIST: Rahul Varshney UDAY SHANKAR CHOREOGRAPHY AWARD: Jigyasa Giri RUKMINI DEVI OVERALL CONTRIBUTION AWARD: Rama Vaidyanathan MK SAROJA TRUE GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA AWARD: Pt Harish Gangani SPECIAL MENTION: Dr.'Vandana' Putanjani Purgus, Bhupinder Sachdev (Printways)  Kartik Fine Arts conferred the title NRITHYA PEROLI on The Dhananjayans on 12th December 2025, the inaugural day of the dance seminar 'Natya Darshan' at Sathguru Gnanananda Hall (Main Hall) of Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai. The recognition carries a cash award of Rs.25000, a medallion with citation and a shawl.   Krishna Gana Sabha conferred the NRITHYA CHOODAMANI award on acharya G NARENDRA at the inauguration of the 69th Margazhi Mela on December 12, 2025 at Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Founder-Director of Avigna Dance Ensemble in Chennai, he trained at the Kalakshetra Foundation where he completed his Post Diploma in Bharatanatyam. He also worked as a faculty at Bharatakalanjali established by the Dhananjayans. SANGEETHA CHOODAMANI award goes to mridanga vidwan K.V. PRASAD.  Bharatanatyam dancer URMILA SATYANARAYANA is to receive the NRITYA KALANIDHI award from Madras Music Academy for 2025 on January 3, 2026 in Chennai. MADAMBI SUBRAMANIA NAMBOODIRI will receive the TTK AWARD for Kathakali music.  Bharatanatyam Guru Padmini Ravi to receive the SHANTALA NATYA PRASHASTI by the Govt of Karnataka.  Sonal Mansingh to receive SRIMANTA SANKARDEVA AWARD, the highest honor given by govt of Assam once in 3 years.  The KALIDAS SAMMAN of Govt of Madhya Pradesh goes to Dr. Sandhya Purecha and Pandit Uday Bhawalkar. The other awardees include: Sudha Raghuraman (RASHTRIYA KUMAR GANDHARVA SAMMAN), Kalpana Zokarkar and Pt Akhilesh Gundecha (SHIKHAR SAMMAN). Highlights ; Obituaries |
