December 2016 Trinity Arts Festival of India presented THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to Bharatanatyam Gurus V.P. Dhananjayan and Shanta Dhananjayan on December 25, 2016 at Kumararani Meena Muthiah College of Arts & Science, Chennai. On December 18, 2016 Nepathya conferred the D APPUKUTTAN NAIR MEMORIAL AWARD on Kalamandalam Ravikumar, chutti artiste, at Aluva, Kerala. Kartik Fine Arts awards at the 42nd Year Art Festival in Chennai: NADANAMAMANI for Vyshnavie Sainath on Dec 1 at Narada Gana Sabha; NATYA CHUDAR to Sudharma Vaithiyanathan, NRITHYAJYOTHI Award for excellence in Bharatanatyam to Mathura Viswanathan Vijay, MADURA KALAMANI AWARD (Madurai Krishnan Memorial Honor) to Rathna Kumar, LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for Raja and Radha Reddy on Dec 16, 2016 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mylapore. Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai, conferred NADHABRAHMAM title on Guru K Kalyanasundaram (Mumbai) on December 14, 2016. The Indian Fine Arts Society conferred NATYA KALASIKHAMANI on Prof. CV Chandrasekhar on December 14, 2016 at Ethiraja Kalyana Mandapam, Chennai. Attendance is India's only yearbook on dance, now in its 18th year. For past 5 years, 5 awards are given as industry benchmarks. The awardees then reach out nationally (3 shows in parts of India they never been to) and in one case internationally (internship with a dance company abroad). The awards named after iconic names in dance, some totally forgotten, were given on December 14, 2016 at Alliance Francaise, Bangalore. Ottanthullal artiste Kalamandalam Suresh Kaliyath, a UNESCO scholarship holder also doing his Phd, received the RAM GOPAL BEST MALE SOLOIST AWARD. Kathak duo Tushar and Pooja Bhat received NATARAJ SHAKUNTALA DANCE COUPLE AWARD. Arts writer from Chennai, 'Sruti' Janaki got the MOHAN KHOKAR DOCUMENTING DANCE AWARD. Bangalore's best known art historian Dr. Choodamani Nandagopal, Dean, Jaina University Arts Dept, received the RUKMINIDEVI SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION AWARD. Senior most choreographer of the city, Usha Venkateswaran, who has worked in Moscow, China, Delhi and last 20 years in Bangalore, mentoring youngsters and making productions, received the MAYA RAO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. Sri Krishna Gana Sabha conferred ACHARYA CHOODAMANI on Bharatanatyam guru Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala and NRITYA CHOODAMANI on Kathak duo Nirupama and Rajendra on December 11, 2016. Bharat Kalachar awards for 2016 were given on December 10, 2016 at Chennai: NATYA KALADHAR to Kanchana, VISHWA KALA BHARATHI to Ananda Shankar Jayant, ACHARYA KALA BHARATHI to Sheela Unnikrishnan and Lakshmi Ramaswamy, NATYA SANGEETHA BHARATHI to Gomathy Vinayakam (vocal), Thanjavur Subba Rao Babu (violin) and KP Anil Kumar (mridangam), YUVA KALA BHARATI for Prithvija Balagopalan, Shruthipriya and Srividya Sailesh (BN), ALL ROUNDER to Sukanya Kumar (BN, Kathak & Theatre). LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC goes to Seetharama Sharma. Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha conferred VANI KALA SUDHAKARA with a purse of one lakh on Alarmel Valli on December 9, 2016 at Vani Mahal, Chennai. Chennai Cultural Academy Trust conferred NRITHYA KALA SHIRONMANI on Jayanthi Subramaniam on December 9, 2016 at Rama Rao Kala Mandap, Chennai. The award includes a citation, gold medallion and a purse. Brahma Gana Sabha conferred NATYA PADMAM on Rhadha on December 3, 2016 at Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium, Chennai. November 2016 Guru V.P. Dhananjayan has been appointed as the Dean of the Performing Arts section of the Annamalai University, Chidambaram. Shanta Dhananjayan is appointed as the Faculty head. With these prestigious appointments they hope to revamp and bring more credibility and enhance the standard of the Annamalai University Performing Arts degree course. Payyanur a Kerala hamlet ever so green Known one lad from there even as a teen Blossomed under Rukmini's shade a student so keen Under the great Banyan met Shanta his future Queen A never failing friend, on whom one can lean A total commitment to his art, a quality rarely seen Is it any wonder that Annamalai invites him as its Art's dean? - PV Krishnamoorthy Ananya presented the ANANYA PURASKAR to Guru Radha Sridhar, Guru Lalitha Srinivasan and musician Dwaraki Krishnaswamy on November 27, 2016 at Seva Sadan, Bangalore. On November 25, 2016 Madhu Nataraj Kiran received the VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD from Rotary Bangalore Northwest at Trinity Isle, Bangalore. Anita Guha's Bharatanjali Trust conferred SATHYA VIMARSHAKA SUNDARAM award on art critic A. Boothalingam, NATYACHARYA SUNDARAM on dance guru Chitra Muralidharan, NRITTA SUNDARAM on dancer Nidheesh Kumar and NRITYA SUNDARAM on dancer Mithun Shyam, at their annual function on Shri Sathya Sai Baba's birthday on 23rd November 2016 at Vani Mahal, Chennai. On November 20, 2016, Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala was honored with NATIYA THENDRAL award by Doordarshan Kendra Chennai. LEELA SEKHAR MEMORIAL AWARD was instituted a few years ago in memory of Leela Sekhar, Founder-Chairperson of the International Dance Alliance, India. In her memory, the award was given this year by Padmalaya Dance Foundation and IDA (Bangalore Chapter) to Guru B. Bhanumathi, a person who has tirelessly contributed to the promotion of the arts, on November 20, 2016 at Seva Sadan, Bangalore. On November 19, 2016 Chitra Arvind was conferred CONTEMPORARY DANCE AWARD 2016 by the India International Dance Festival (Bhubaneswar), at Bangalore. At the Indradhanush Dilli 2016 youth festival of arts, Sunaina honored gurus Pt Birju Maharaj, Kanaka Srinivasan and Ranjana Gauhar with the GURU SAMMAN AWARD on Nov 11, 12 & 13 respectively at the Muktadhara Auditorium, Delhi. On 14th November at Delhi Tamil Sangam, Guru Syed Sallaudin Pasha received the PARAS MANI SAMMAN and Guru Sheela Unnikrishnan the KALA VIDUSHI SAMMAN. Rama Vaidyanathan (Bharatanatyam), Gopika Varma (Mohiniattam) and Deepika Reddy (Kuchipudi) received the NATARAJA SAMMAN awards from Sri Thyaga Brahma Aradhana Kainkarya Trust at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on November 14, 2016. Arsha T.S, disciple of Kalamandalam Remani Haridas, got First Prize in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam (Senior) at the Bal Kala Utsav 2016 organized by SUNAINA (Nov 9-14, 2016) at Delhi Tamil Sangam, New Delhi. She also got Second Prize in Bharatanatyam (Senior) at the Janasamskriti Sargotsavam 2016 held at Kerala School, New Delhi, in Nov. She is a Class 9 student of St. Anthony's Senior Secondary School, Hauz Khas, Delhi. Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Bala Devi Chandrashekar by Rotary Mid City Chennai on November 11, 2016 at the Music Academy, Chennai. October 2016 Karnataka Nritya Kala Parishath presented awards NRITYA NIPUNA for Guru Pulikeshi Kasturi (Bangalore), NRITYA NIPUNE for Guru Sharadamani Shekar (Mangalore) and NRITYA NIPUNA for vidwan S. Keshava Kumar on October 26, 2016 at Seva Sadan, Bangalore. The NARTAKA AWARD for excellence in dance was presented to Sathyanarayana Raju on the inaugural day of the Nartaka Festival on October 21, 2016 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai. Milapfest, The UK's leading Indian Arts Development Trust, honoured Usha Raghavan, Director, Kalasagara UK, with the National Indian Arts Award 2016, THE NRITYA ACHARYA RATNA on October 20, 2016 at the Nehru Centre, London. The National Indian Arts Awards honour the best talent in classical Indian music and dance, both nationally and internationally. The awards serve as a way of recognising the artist's distinguished service in the cause of Indian Arts and Education in Britain. Executive Director, Dr. Prashant Nayak gave the key note speech at the ceremony. Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chairman of the Arts Council of England and the ITV group presented the award. Aakash Odedra was nominated for the second time for the BESSIE AWARDS for 2016 (awards were given on Oct 18, 2016) for Outstanding Performer category, for his work In Rising, Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. KALA ARATHI RATNA award was bestowed on Anuradha Vikranth for her contribution to classical dance as part of the 'Movement and Magic Dance festival 2016' commemorating 35 years of Arathi School of Dance, held at Scottsdale Centre of Performing arts, Arizona, on 16th October 2016. Periyar Maniammai University conferred the award of DOCTOR OF LETTERS (Honoris Causa) on Bharatanatyam dancer Narthaki Nataraj (Velliyambalam School of Dance, Chennai) on October 14, 2016 at Thanjavur at the university. She is the first transgender artist to be chosen for this honour and has adopted the prefix “Thirunangai” to her name for representing the people of the third gender. For 2016, Bangalore Club for Kathakali and the Arts presented: BCKA KALASRESHTA AWARDS to Vyjayanthi Kashi (Kuchipudi), Kiran Subramanyam (Bharatanatyam), Sharmila Mukerjee (Odissi) and Sudhakaran Ramanthalli (literature); BCKA YUVA KALASRESHTA AWARDS to Surya N Rao (classical dances), Swapna Rajendrakumar (Mohiniattam), Shweta Venkatesh (Kathak) and Rema Prasanna Pisharody (literature & arts), on October 7, 2016 at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bangalore. Photo courtesy: Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for 2015: AKADEMI FELLOW (RATNA): C V Chandrasekhar AKADEMI AWARDS (PURASKAR): Ranganayaki Jayaraman (Bharatanatyam), K Kunhiraman Nair (Kathakali), Aloka Kanungo (Odissi), G Padmaja Reddy (Kuchipudi), Sharodi Saikia (Sattriya), Mandakini Trivedi (Mohiniattam), Sadashiva Pradhan (Chhau), W Lokendrajit Singh (Contemporary/Experimental Dance), Rajkumar Bharathi (Music for Dance) OVERALL CONTRIBUTION / SCHOLARSHIP IN PERFORMING ARTS: Shanta Gokhale and Chaman Lal Ahuja 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. The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Awards were conferred in Delhi by the President of India on October 4, 2016. Full list Arts patron Sreedhar Potarazu who was prominent in the Washington DC and Chennai cultural circles has been embroiled in a US investigation, charged in a $30M investment fraud scheme. Potarazu was the title sponsor for the annual Music Academy dance festival till 2012 when the sponsorship was terminated. He also produced the high profile Utsav Festival at Kennedy Centre since 2013. September 2016 In Sept 2016, Lata Pada, Artistic Director of Sampradaya, was selected as one of the twelve finalists for the Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts. The awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of Ontario's arts community and its contributions to a strong, vibrant culture sector. Now in its 10th year, the program recognizes artists and arts organizations whose contributions span a significant period of time. On September 30, 2016 the SARASWATHI AWARD was conferred on dancer Chitra Visweswaran by Prabha Sridevan, retired judge, Madras High Court, at CP Ramaswamy Iyer Foundation, Chennai. Ralph Lemon, Dancer, Choreographer, Writer, & Visual Artist (Brooklyn, NY) received NATIONAL MEDAL OF ARTS, highest award given by the U.S. government to artists and arts patrons by the United States government, on Sept 22, 2016 from President Barack Obama in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Amarendra Khatua who served with the Ministry of External Affairs is appointed the new Director General of ICCR. He belongs to the 1981 cadre of IFS officers. At the MEA, he worked in different capacities in key divisions like finance, administration, Northern and Latin American Divisions. He also served as an ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Guinea and Liberia. He served as a special envoy to broker peace between Sudan and South Sudan. Sonal Mansingh was conferred with the VYSAKHI LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD on the inaugural day of 9th All India Classical Dance Festival that began on September 22, at Visakhapatnam. Sai Venkatesh has been elected as President, Karnataka Nritya Kala Parishat, an organization serving the dance community for 34 years in Karnataka. For the last 21 years Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award has been presented on an annual basis in the field of dance, music, theatre and cinema to exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to their art with a cash prize and a citation. Two such awards are presented each year. On September 9, 2016, the NALCO GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA AWARD 2016 was presented to Guru Kishor Kumar Mohanty in the field of dance and Jharana Das in the field of cinema, at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar. From this year the award amount has been increased to 1 lakh rupees per awardee. GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA YUVA PRATIBHA SAMMAN carrying a cash prize of Rs 25000 each was awarded to four meritorious young artistes in the area of classical dances and Odissi music for their exceptional diligence and accomplishment. The awardees are Rajib Bhattacharya (Kolkata) and Madhusmita Mohanty (Bhubaneswar) for Odissi dance, P. Praveen Kumar (Bangalore) for Bharatanatyam and Rupak Kumar Parida (Bhubaneswar) for Odissi music. Another award 'Nrutya Kala Samman' with a cash prize of Rs 30000 went to Odissi dancer Madhubrata Satapathy. August 2016 On 31st August 2016, LALITHA KALA VEDIKA GOLD MEDAL was presented to Leela Samson and B. LALITHARATNAM CASH AWARD to Krishnakumari Narendran by Lalitha Kala Vedika at RK Swamy Hall, Chennai. Bharati Shivaji (Mohiniattam), Jayalakshmi Eshwar (Bharatanatyam), Shashadhar Acharya (Chhau), Rani Khanam (Kathak), Geeta Mahalik, Sasmita Pal, Gajendra Panda (Odissi), Manju Elangbam (Manipuri) and Ranjumoni Saikiya (Satrriya) received the DEBADHARA AWARD from Debadhara Delhi on 13th and 14th August 2016 at India International Centre, Delhi. On August 12, 2016 on the inaugural evening of Krishna Bharatham thematic dance festival, the following artistes were awarded by Natyarangam at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai - OBUL REDDY ENDOWMENT AWARD to Bharatanatyam dancer P Praveen Kumar, SUDHARANI RAGHUPATHY ENDOWMENT AWARD to mridangam artiste M Balachander, VASANTHALAKSHMI NARASIMHACHARI ENDOWMENT AWARD for talent promotion to Bharatanatyam dancer Medha Hari. Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan was honored with a purse and medal. Geeta Chandran received the SWAMI SHRI MEGHASHYAM SHARMA AWARD (named after the renowned poet and musician of Braj) on August 10, 2016 at Shri Ramkrishna Leelashram, Ramanreti, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. The award recognizes Geeta Chandran's sustained commitment to reviving dance performances in Vrindavan temples (under the valued guidance of her Guru, Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami of Sri Chaitanya Prema Samsthana, and who is also an earlier recipient of this honour).The award includes an angavastarm, a tamra patra and a cash purse of Rs. 21,000. Santha Bhaskar, artistic director of Bhaskar's Arts Academy, received Singapore's PUBLIC SERVICE STAR AWARD at the National Day Celebrations on Aug 9, 2016, for her contributions to Singapore's arts scene. USTAD BISMILLAH KHAN YUVA PURASKAR for 2015 was given away in Guwahati in the second week of August 2016 Shijith Nambiar & Parvathi Menon (Bharatanatyam), Vishal Krishna (Kathak), Divya Dikshit (Kathak), Kalamandalam Thulasi (Kathakali), P. Bilash Singh from Manipur (Manipuri), Seujpriya Borthakur from Assam (Sattriya), Shilpika Bordoloi from Assam (contemporary / experimental), Boby Chakraborty from Tripura (Kuchipudi). Full list July 2016 On July 27, 2016 the following awards were given by Dr. Padmaja Suresh's Aatmalaya in Bangalore at the Wings of Fire festival - JUSTICE K. JAGANNATH SHETTY MEMORIAL AWARD to Rajahasya Kalavida Peruvadi Narayana Bhat, Puttur, CHAKYAR KOOTHU RAJAN MEMORIAL AWARD to K. Vishwanathan (senior performer of ritual and temple art, Kerala), S. RAJALAKSHMI MEMORIAL AWARD to Gulabi Ajalti Balila (Tulu folk epic singer). Eleven years after the passing away of dance guru Chitrasena, the government of Sri Lanka finally issues a commemorative stamp and first day cover. It was officially launched on 18th of July 2016 at the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya, Colombo. On July 8, 2016 Sattriya Guru Jatin Goswami received RASESWAR SAIKIA AWARD from Sangeet Sattra run by Rinjumony and Ranjumony Saikia (daughters of Raseswar Saikia), at Rabindra Bhavan, Guwahati. Sangeet Natak Akademi: The Curious Case of Office Intrigue and Nepotism June 2016 Rita Swamy Choudhary is the new Secretary of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi. She is a PhD in Hindustani music and has been serving as the head of the music department of the Akademi for over a decade. May 2016 KALASAGAR AWARDS 2016 in the field of traditional performing art forms were presented when Kalasagar celebrated the 92nd birth anniversary of its founder Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval on 28 May 2016 at Kerala Kalamandalam's koothambalam in Shornur. The awardees have been selected through nominations received from art lovers. KATHAKALI - Vesham/Actor: FACT Padmanabhan; Pattu/Music: Pathiyoor Sankarankutty; Chenda/Percussion: Sadanam Ramakrishnan; Maddalam/Percussion: Kalanilayam Manoj; Chutty/Make-Up: Kalanilayam Saji OTTENTHULLAL: Krishnapurarh Murali; CHAKYARKOOTHU: Sangeeth Chakyar; KOODIYATTAM: Dr. Indu G; MOHINIATTAM: Smitha Rajan; BHARATANATYAM: Seetha Sasidharan; KUCHIPUDI: Geetha Padmakumar; THAYAMBAKA: Mattannoor Sanakaran Kutty Marar PANCHAVADYAM – Thimila: Chottanikkara Nandappan Marar; Maddalam: Kalamandalam Prakash; Edakka: Chennamangalam Unnikrishnan Marar; Thalam: Kummath Nandakumaran; KOMBU: Chengamanad Appu Nair. EasternEye ACTA Award for dance was given to Birmingham based Kathak dancer Sonia Sabri at Royal Festival Hall, London, on May 22, 2016. Writer Naseem Khan (for her historic contribution to the diverse arts, culture and policy agenda in the country), Kathak dancer Nahid Siddiqui, Bharatanatyam guru Pushkala Gopal and Kathak guru Pratap Pawar (who have inspired and imprinted upon generations of students, dancers, teachers, and the very story of South Asian dance in the UK) were felicitated at Navadisha 2016 between May 20-22, 2016 at Birmingham, for their contribution to the arts. In celebration of Balasaraswati's 98th birthday and commemoration of the contribution to the arts by the Scripps, on May 14, 2016, the BALASARASWATI/SCRIPPS AWARD FOR ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE was conferred on Pandit Birju Maharaj by the Balasaraswati Institute of Performing Arts at the Music Academy, Chennai. The award is named after T Balasaraswati and the unsurpassable patrons of world performing arts, Samuel and Luise Scripps. Luise was also Balasaraswati's prime disciple in the west and started the Balasaraswati School of music and dance in the United States in the early 1970s. Even today, the Scripps family, through the American dance festival, still gives the much coveted Joey Ann Dewey/ Balasaraswati distinguished teaching chair endowment award. Shrishti Center of Performing Arts & Institute of Dance Therapy presented the SHRISHTI NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for dance to Manipuri dancer Darshana Javeri, on May 5, 2016 at Bangalore. ABHAI conferred NATYA KALANIDHI on the Dhananjayans, GAANDHARVA NIPUNAA on Radha Badri, NARTHAKA NIPUNAA on A. Lakshmanaswamy, on May 1, 2016 at Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Saraswathi Education/Cultural and Charitable Trust under the trusteeship of C.K. Gariyali (IAS) and Dr. R. Nagaswami (Archaeologist & historian) conducts the annual Vasanth Utsav in Mylapore Kapaaleeswarar Koil, Chennai, during the month of May. This year the Trust honoured The Dhananjayans with the title of NATYACHARYA SHIROMANI with a purse and citation on May 1, 2016. Gopalakrishna Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal, gave away the awards. April 2016 Dr. Lalitha Srinivasan (Bangalore), Revathi Satyu (Dallas, TX) and Asha Prem (St. Louis, MO) were honored with the LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD on April 23, 2016 by Soorya Performing Arts at the 8th Natya Festival in St. Louis, Missouri. On April 15, 2016 leading social and cultural organisation of Mumbai, People's Arts Centre conferred VISHUKAINEETAM AWARD on Vijay Shanker for his contribution in the field of journalism for more than three decades. Besides being a regular columnist for print and online media, Vijay Shanker is a professional Kuchipudi and Kathakali exponent and teacher. The Padma awards for dance: PADMA VIBUSHAN for Yamini Krishnamurthy (Bharatanatyam) was given on March 28, 2016: PADMA SHRI for Pratibha Prahlad (Bharatanatyam) and Gulabo Sapera (Folk Dance), PADMA BHUSHAN for Heisnam Kanhailal (theatre) were given on April 12, 2016 at New Delhi. Kuchipudi gurus Raja and Radha Reddy were conferred the SHARAN RANI SAMMAN for lifetime achievement in dance on 7th April 2016 at Stein Auditorium, Delhi. Bharatanatyam has a global accent. Indira Kadambi's American student Komala Kumari Mayshark Patel wins first prize at the Cleveland Tyagaraja Festival competition. Bharatanatyam dancer Pavithra Nagarajan from California is one of the 60 candidates nominated by the National Young Arts Foundation in the discipline of Indian classical dance for 2016 US Presidential Scholars in the Arts, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. March 2016 Dakshinachitra, Chennai, presented DAKSHINACHITRA VIRUDHU to Bharatham R Mahalingam (Mali) of Melattur Bhagavata Mela Vidya Sangam, Thanjavur, (by Guru VP Dhananjayan) for lifetime achievement in performing arts (Bhagavatha Mela tradition), on March 26, 2016. Dakshina Chitra Virudhu is an annual award instituted by The Friends of Dakshina Chitra to honour the folk performing artists and groups in recognition for their outstanding and endearing contribution to the field of folk performing arts. A new Tamil play 'Sri Andal Thirukalyanam' was presented by the troupe. Mandala Arts and Culture graduate Kiruthika Rathanaswami was awarded DD WOMEN'S ACHIEVER 2016 for Performing Arts on March 5, 2016 at Glenforest Secondary School, Mississauga, ON, on DD Awards Nite, 5pm February 2016 On February 28, 2016 the Dhananjayans received ARSHA KALA BHUSHANAM award from Arsha Vidya Gurukulam. Bharata Ilango Foundation for Asian Culture (BIFAC) presented the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to Neila Sathyalingam, founder of Apsaras Arts, Singapore, on 28th February 2016 at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai. Nimmy Raphel of Adishakti received the VINOD DOSHI FELLOWSHIP AWARD for 2016-2017 from Sahitya Rangabhoomi Pratishthan, Pune. The fellowship of Rs. one lakh is given to encourage and support young artistes doing significant work in the field of theater, films and other performing arts. The award ceremony was held on Feb 21, 2016 at Pandit Farms, Pune. Mridangist M. Dhananjayan received the KJ SARASA MEMORIAL AWARD on February 17, 2016 on the inaugural day of Sarasa Natya Mela Festival held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai. The Sruti Foundation conferred the E KRISHNA IYER MEDAL on Bharatanatyam Guru Indira Rajan and VELLORE GOPALACHARIAR MEMORIAL AWARD on musician Suguna Varadachari on February 6, 2016 at Chennai. Hari Krishnan of InDance (Canada) is on THE A-LIST (2016) featuring 100 Canadians (of Indian origin) highlighting their diverse achievements. More info. January 2016 SARNGADEVA SAMMAN was conferred on Guru C. V. Chandrashekhar by Mahagami on January 17, 2016 at Aurangabad. Suganda Iyer received ACHARYA DEVO BHAVA AWARD from Sri Datta Sai temple, at San Ramon, California, on January 16, 2016. The New York Times lists the duet of Bijayini Satpathy and Surupa Sen at the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in January as one of the best performances of 2015! “Surrounded by the rigid lines of the temple, the sensuous curves of their Odissi dancing and their great artistry were even more ravishing than usual,” writes Brian Seibert. During the Drishti Dance Festival, DRISHTI PURASKAR 2016 was bestowed on Radha Sridhar (senior dance guru, Director-Venkatesha Natya Mandir, Bengaluru) and dancer Priyadarsini Govind (Director -Kalakshetra, Chennai) on January 16, 2016 at Chowdiah Hall, Bangalore. Dr. Ileana Citaristi (significant contributions in promoting Odissi dance) and Saswat Ranjan Joshi (significant achievements in Odissi dance) received the NALCO KHARAVELA AWARD during the 36th Foundation Day Celebrations of Nalco (National Aluminium Company Limited) on 7th January 2016 in Bhubaneswar. Ileana Citaristi also received a purse of Rs. 1 lakh while Saswat Ranjan Joshi received a cash prize of Rs.50,000. On the inaugural evening of the Music Academy dance festival, Bharatanatyam dancer Alarmel Valli received the NATYA KALA ACHARYA title and award on January 3, 2016, Chennai. Brahma Gana Sabha, Chennai, honoured The Dhananjayans with NAATYA PADMAM on January 1, 2016 at Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium, Chennai. Highlights - Yearwise listing |