Information - Highlights 2024

October 2024

Veteran Kutiyattam exponent VENU G was selected for this year’s VAYO SEVANA AWARD of Social Justice Department, Govt. of Kerala for his lifetime achievement of extraordinary contribution in the field. Minister for Social justice and Higher Education of Kerala, Dr R Bindu gave away the award on 1st October 2024 at Tirur, Kerala. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh, a citation and shawl.

On Oct 1, 2024 Natya Tarangini Hyderabad on its 17th anniversary, presented the ANNUAL WORLD DANCE DAY AWARD to scholar V.A.K. RANGA RAO in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Indian classical dance, music, and cinema.

September 2024

Guru Gajendra Panda received the VYSAKHI EXCELLENCE AWARD from Nataraj Music & Dance Academy on September 28, 2024 at Visakhapatnam. He received the GURU GANGADHAR PRADHAN AWARD on September 29, 2024 from Jay Kiran Trust, Bhubaneswar.

Apsaras Dance Company awarded MEENAKSHY BHASKAR of Bhaskar's Arts Academy with the title NATYA AACHARYAMANI at Indian Performing Arts Convention (IPAC 2024) on 29th September 2024 at Singapore.

Odissi Guru RATIKANT MOHAPATRA received the HONORARY DOCTORATE IN PERFORMING ARTS from Washington Digital University “for his exceptional contribution to the Performing Arts”, on September 28, 2024.

RAMYA RAMNARAYAN received the DANCE NEW JERSEY IMPACT AWARD for 2024 in the category of Artistic Excellence on September 21, 2024. “This honor fills me with immense gratitude for all those who have profoundly influenced my journey, especially my mother and my Gurus,” says Ramya.

In a unique celebration, M. MURALI of Krishna Sweets celebrated the 100th birth anniversary year of his father/founder of Krishna Sweets, N.K.Mahadevan on September 16, 2024 by honoring 100 Bharatanatyam acharyas for their valuable contribution to nurturing dance, at Vani Mahal, Chennai. The crowning glory was the recitation of the full Narayaneeyam by 1000 women all reciting in perfect unison and devotion. For the next 3 days,100 nurses, 100 sloka acharyas, 100 Tamizh teachers were honoured.

Trinetra Kala Kunja in association with Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture, Government of Odisha, presented the 4th International Trinetra Award Festival on September 14, 2024 at Bhubaneswar.
TRINETRA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2024: Manmath Kumar Satapathy, Researcher of Dance, Drama and Theater; Guru Snehaprava Samantaray, Odissi dance; Guru Niranjan Patra, mardala exponent; Guru Kavita Mishra, Odissi dancer and Guru Keshab Chandra Rout, Odissi singer.
TRINETRA YUVA PRATIVA AWARD 2024 was presented to three young Odissi dancers Rithika Banerjee, D. Priyanka and Shreya Sradhanjali.
TRINETRA SISHU PRATIVA AWARD 2024 was presented to Bharatanatyam dancer Priti Pal, Odissi dancers Ridhima Verma and Meghambari Pradhan.

Srjan honored Guru KUMKUM LAL for dance, LAKSHMIKANT PALIT for music, DHANESWAR SWAIN for music, and UTTAM MOHANTY for cinema with the GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA AWARD 2024 for their significant contributions to their respective art forms on September 11, 2024 at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar. The award includes a cash prize of one lakh rupees and a citation.
POMPI PAUL and RAJNITA MEHRA (née Banerjee) for Odissi dance, AVIJIT DAS for Kuchipudi dance, and ROHIT PRADHAN for Odissi Mardala received the GURU KELUCHARAN MOHAPATRA YUVA PRATIBHA SAMMAN 2024, in recognition of their dedication to their respective art forms and their inspiring performances. Each awardee received a citation and a cash prize of ₹25,000.

Sanchari Foundation of Kavita Dwibedi presented GURU HARE KRISHNA BEHERA SMRITI SAMMAN to Odissi dancers Swapnokalpa Dasgupta and Vishwanath Mangaraj, and Bharatanatyam dancer Swarnali Kundu, on September 4, 2024 at Delhi.

KALPANA RAGHURAMAN has been appointed as a Creative Associate of the Dutch National Ballet for the next two years, giving opportunity to explore new artistic possibilities, blending Indian dance with classical ballet and contemporary dance. Her first choreography as Creative Associate will be presented in Spring 2025.

SUNIL SUNKARA has been recognized with the Tagore National Scholarship to research on the temple traditions of Awadh with a special focus on Ram Madhurya Bhakti. He is the first Kathak dancer to receive the scholarship as well as the youngest scholarship holder.

August 2024

Artiste and critic Vijay Shanker received the SHRI BAL GANGADHAR TILAK SEWA SAMMAN 2024 on August 23, 2024 from World Against Corruption People Council, at Mira Bhayandar, Thane, Maharashtra.

On August 14, 2024 Natyarangam presented the following awards in Chennai.
Sujatha Vijayaraghavan Endowment Award for excellence in Bharatanatyam and Music to UMA SATHYANARAYANAN
KS Subramanian Endowment Award for December season debutant to INDU SV
Bhagavatulu Seetarama Sarma Endowment Award to NEELA SUKANYA for nattuvangam
Outstanding Contribution Award to RK SRIRAMKUMAR for Bharatanatyam
P Obul Reddy Endowment Award & Kamala and Naradar Srinivasa Rao Endowment Award to PARSHWANATH UPADHYE as senior dancer
Vasanthalakshmi-Narasimhachari Endowment and Thanjai Arunachalam Pillai Endowment Award to HARINIE JEEVITHA for outstanding talent
Sudharani Raghupathy Endowment & Aanmajothi Endowment Award to mridangist KP ANIL KUMAR

Utsav, Ranjana’s Odissi Dance Academy awarded the UTSAV SAMMAN for lifetime achievement to Bharatanatyam Guru UMA RELE, Kathak Guru GEETANJALI LAL, Odissi Guru ALOKA PANIKAR and jewellery designer ASHA MODI on August 13, 2024 at Stein auditorium, New Delhi.

Naatyakalakshetra conferred the NRITHYA PRABHA award on Anuradha Vikranth during its 16th Nrithya Utsava festival on August 9, 2024 at Seva Sadan, Bangalore.

Dr Padma Subrahmanyam received the PT BIRJU MAHARAJ AWARD at Smirti Festival organised by Darpan Institute and Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, on August 1, 2024.

Bharatanatyam dancer SUJATHA SRINIVASAN received the Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award for 2024 from the Ohio Arts Council.

‘The Songs of the Bulbul,’ a new dance work by AAKASH ODEDRA, choreographed by RANI KHANUM, had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival, where it also won recognition as the best show of the festival.

At the 70th National Film Awards, RANGA VAIBHOGA (2022) directed by Suneel Puranik, a documentary on the tradition of temple dance in Karnataka, bagged the award for the Best Arts/Culture Film this year.

ANURADHA NEHRU becomes artistic director emerita as she entrusts Kalanidhi’s executive leadership to DANIEL PHOENIX SINGH.

July 2024

KERALA SANGEETHA NATAKA AKADEMI STATE AWARD for 2023 was conferred on Kathakali acharya Kottakkal Sashidharan Nair on July 21, 2024 at KSNA hall, Thrissur.
More info:
Rendezvous with Kathakali exponent Kottakkal Sashidharan Nair
- Febina Mathew

June 2024

At the 35th annual day celebrations at Chennai on June 23, 2024, ABHAI presented the following awards: NATYA KALANIDHI: Guru Radha Sridhar, NRITYA PERUNJOTHI: Srekala Bharath, NARTHAKA NIPUNA: Vaibhav Arekar, GANDHARVA NIPUNA: N Sasidaran, NAATAR KALAI KON: KN Manikandan, SADHANAI THALIR: Bhavajan Kumar.

Shila Mehta received the WOW- PRIDE OF INDIA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2024 as a choreographer, performer, educator and scholar, at the Vivette Banquet, Mumbai, on June 12, 2024.

Priya Murle assumes office as President of ABHAI (Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India).

May 2024

The Kalasagar Awards for excellence in traditional performing arts will be presented on May 28, 2024 at Kalamandalam Nila Campus, Kerala, on the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, legendary Kathakali maestro and the founder of Kalasagar.
- Kathakali - Vesham: Kalanilayam Gopi, Music: Kalamandalam Sukumaran, Chenda: Kottakkal Vijayaraghavan, Maddalam: Margi Ratnakaran, Chutty: Margi Ravindran Nair
- Bharatanatyam: Saritha Kalakshetra, Mohiniattam: Kalamandalam Kavitha Krishnakumar, Kuchipudi: Kalamandalam Sreerekha G Nair, Ottenthullal: Ranjit Thripunithura, Chakyarkoothu: Kalamandalam Kanakakumar, Koodiyattam: Saritha Krishnakumar
-Thayambaka: Arangottukara Sivan
- Panchavadyam - Thimila: Kalluvazhi Babu, Maddalam: Kallekulangara Babu, Idakka: Thuravoor Vinish Kammath, Ilathalam: Kattkulam Jayan, Kombu: Sivan Thrippaloor

The statue of Manipuri GURU THIYAM TARUNKUMAR SINGH was unveiled at the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Progressive Artiste Laboratory (PAL) at its complex in Imphal, Manipur, on May 21, 2024.

Bhagavata Mela Vidyalaya in Melattur (Founded by Late S Natarajan, now headed by his daughter Priyamvada Murali) was recognized as an exemplary HOME FOR HUMANITY by Home for Humanity Movement for Planetary Regeneration, France, for “your remarkable contribution in preserving this unique cultural heritage of India by renewing the ancient seeds of Mela tradition and spreading them nationally and globally and for your outstanding dedication in empowering rural and underprivileged children through art, culture and ancient wisdom,” on International Day of Cultural Diversity on May 21, 2024.

Dr.Vasanth Kiran’s Bharata Kala Grama Gurukulam presented GURU SATKARAM NATYA KOUSTUBHAM award to Bharatanatyam dancer Alarmel Valli and Kuchipudi Guru Vedantam Ramalinga Sastry on May 18, 2024 at Bangalore during the Nritya Vasantham festival.

Costume designer Sandhya Raman (Desmania Design) received the BUSINESS WORLD FUTURE OF DESIGN ‘24 AWARD on May 16, 2024 in recognition of her work in sustainable recycled clothing and fabrics.

On May 15, 2024 at the function of the cultural awards in Liestal, Switzerland, the Council of Governance of the Canton Basel-Landscape awarded Bharatanatyam dancers, choreographers and dance teachers Anjali and Sumitra Keshava with the CULTURAL PRIZE FOR DANCE.
With this prize, the government recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of art and culture. The prize winners serve as important role models and the prizes help to promote committed and high quality artistic creations. It is the first time that an Indian dancer in Switzerland has received such an award from the Swiss Government.

Prof. Ann R David‘s newly published book RAM GOPAL: INTERWEAVING HISTORIES OF INDIAN DANCE (Bloomsbury) on Indian dancer Ram Gopal will be released on May 14, 2024 at the Coronet Theatre, London.

On May 1, 2024 Shristi Center of Performing Arts conferred SHRISTI NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for dance on Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bangalore.

Aditi Mangaldas has been nominated by the CRITICS NATIONAL AWARDS 2023 UK, in the category of Outstanding Female Modern Performance for ‘Forbidden,’ danced at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 2023. Close on the heels of this nomination came the announcement that Aditi has been selected as a finalist for the Eastern Eye ARTS, CULTURE, AND THEATRE AWARDS (ACTAs), UK.

April 2024

The LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD was given to Asha Gopal on April 27, 2024 by Soorya Performing Arts during American Natya Festival at St Louis, MO. Prathibha Prahlad received the AMOGHA KALA RATNA award and Padmini Shreedhar the NATYA VIDHYA VAARIDHI award.

Murali Mohan Kalvakalva received the GURU GAURAVA AWARD on April 27, 2024 at JSS auditorium, Bangalore, from Satish Hampiholli Foundation Trust.

Anitha Guha received the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD from the Rotary Club of Chennai Towers on April 25, 2024.

The Union government on Jan 25, 2024 released the list of winners of the Padma Awards 2024, conferred by the Govt of India, to recognize exceptional contributions in various fields. The list comprises 5 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 110 Padma Shri Awards. 30 of the awardees are women. The list also includes 8 persons from the category of Foreigners / NRI / PIO / OCI and 9 Posthumous awardees. The Padma awards were given on April 22, 2024 by President Droupadi Murmu in a special ceremony at New Delhi.
- PADMA VIBHUSHAN 2024
Vyjayantimala Bali (Bharatanatyam, Chennai)
Padma Subrahmanyam (Bharata Nrityam, Chennai)
- PADMA SHRI 2024
PV Sadanam Balakrishnan (Kalluvazhi Kathakali, Kerala)
Anupama Hoskere (puppetry, Bangalore)
EP Narayanan (Theyyam, Kannur)
Gaddam Sammaiah (Chindu Yakshaganam, Telangana)
Omprakash Sharma (Mach folk theatre, Madhya Pradesh)
Nepal Chandra Sutradhar (Purulia Chhau, mask maker, W Bengal, posthumous)
M Badrappan (Valli Oyil Kumi, Tamilnadu)
Baghabat Padhan (Sabda Nrutya, Odisha)

Vocalist Sudha Raghuraman received THE WOMEN ACHIEVER’S AWARD from Aalekh Foundation on April 21, 2024 at Leela Palace, New Delhi. Mohiniattam dancer Bharati Shivaji received the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

The MES KALAVEDI PURASKAR was presented to Kalamandalam Usha Datar on April 21, 2024 at MES College auditorium, Bangalore

During the World Dance Day festivities, the 5TH NATYA VRIKSHA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD was conferred on dance scholar, historian, author, critic and commentator LEELA VENKATARAMAN, on April 20, 2024 at IIC, New Delhi. The award consists of an angavastram and a purse of Rs. One lakh.

The title of NRITHYA RATHNAKARA was bestowed by Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival upon SREKALA BHARATH and ACHARYA RATHNAKARA for Padmini Krishnamurthy on April 13, 2024. Young talents Sutikshna Veeravalli (MA), Adithi Arunkumar (IL), Sharanya Balaji (CA), received KALA RATHNA.

On April 7, 2024 the first ever EHSAAS AWARD FOR ARTS were given to the following awardees at IIC, Delhi - Raja & Radha Reddy, Prof. Niren Sengupta, Shovana Narayan, Ranjana Gauhar, Wasifuddin Dagar, Sharon Lowen, Sonal Kalra, Rashmi Vaidialingam, Sadhna Srivastav, Radhika Chopra and Sanjay Arya.

The City of Irvine, California, selected EKTAA CENTER (Ramya Harishankar & Harish Murthy) as a 2023 WALL OF RECOGNITION honoree. It recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the city and community leaders who have helped shape Irvine and establish a foundation of excellence for future generations.

Coimbatore dancer G Sundaramoorthi showcased 154 varieties of traditional dances over 65 hours, earning him a coveted place in the Asia Book of Records.

March 2024

On March 31, 2024 the Parthasarathy Swami Sabha conferred NATYA KALA SARATHY on dancer Jayanthi Subramaniam at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai.

Laya Laavanyaa Fine Arts Foundation of Dr. Umayalpuram Sivaraman conferred a cash award on Bharatanatyam dancer PRIYA MURLE in recognition of her contribution to Bharatanatyam on March 30, 2024 at Narada Gana Sabha mini hall, Chennai.

Manipur dance Guru Prof. Yaikhom Hemanta Kumar was awarded ‘BEST INNOVATIVE LECTURE AWARD (Academician)’ for the dance ‘Krishna Abhisar of Basanta Ras’ at the 25th CEC-UGC Educational Film Festival award ceremony in Indore on March 29, 2024. Award carries a citation, shawl and Rs.50,000 cash.

The Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University has lifted gender restrictions to enrol for its Mohiniattam course. According to a statement issued by the Registrar, Kalamandalam welcomes admissions irrespective of gender from the next academic year. The proposal was unanimously passed during an administrative meeting held on March 27, 2024.

Bharatanatyam dancer Rukmini Chatterjee received the insignia of CHEVALIER DANS L’ORDRE DES ARTS ET DES LETTRES (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) at the French Embassy in New Delhi on March 26, 2024. This award recognises her artistic achievements and contribution to building cultural bridges between India and France through the performing arts.

At the 105th birthday celebration of Guru Pankaj Charan Das by Guru Pankaj Charan Odissi Research Foundation, the MAHARI AWARD was given to Anita Sharma (Sattriya) on March 19, 2024 at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar. The awardees on March 18 for their outstanding contributions include Guru Simanchal Das (GAUNI SAMPRADA for Odissi music & vocal), Guru Bagbhan Behera (MADELI SAMMAN for Odissi mardal), Guru Niranjan Behera (BINAKARA SAMMAN for Odissi music & composition), Ruparani Das Borah (NACHUNI SAMPRADA for classical dance)

Madhulita Mohapatra received the IIW SHE INSPIRES AWARD at London in the UK Parliament on March 12, 2024. The event was organised by Inspiring Indian Women (IIW) to celebrate International Women’s Day

Ratikant Mohapatra was awarded the SHATABDIRA KALAKAR AWARD by Shatabdira Kalakar, a renowned theatre group from Bhubaneswar, on March 11, 2024.

On March 10, 2024 the Chembur Fine Arts Society awarded its FAS STREE RATNA AWARD to Ananda Shankar Jayant, Darshana Jhaveri and Anupama Hoskere in Mumbai.

Dance therapist, dance educator and author TRIPURA KASHYAP received the INTERNATIONAL LADY LEGEND AWARD in the field of Art from Saksham Society on March 8, 2024.

Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and his daughter Deepa Venkat’s Swarna Bharat Trust honoured Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala with the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD on March 8, 2024 at Nellore.

G. VENU, the renowned Kutiyattam actor and scholar received the AKADEMI PURASKAR for 2023 for his Overall Contribution towards Performing Arts given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi on March 6, 2024. He has played a major role in the conservation and preservation of the rare performing art forms like Pavakathakali, Tholppavakkoothu and Mudiyettu among others. He had formulated the first-ever notation system for the Indian dance forms and documented the mudras, (hand gestures) of the Indian classical art forms like Kutiyattam, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam. After conducting extensive research into the actor training technique of ‘Swaravayu,’ that was formulated at the Kodungallur Kalari, Venu derived his own actor training programme called ‘Navarasa Sadhana.’

Dr. Sadanam Harikumar was honoured with the title KALAA BHAASKARA on March 2, 2024 by Bharata Kalanjali during their Kathakali Festival in Chennai.

Sanatan Sangeet Sanskriti awarded the SANATAN SANGEET PURASKAR 2024 to Sudha Raghuraman (classical music) and Navina Jafa (classical dance), Vibha Galhotra (Visual Arts), Sudeep Sen (Literature), Aarti Gupta (Ideas) on 1st March 2024 at C. D. Deshmukh Auditorium, New Delhi.

February 2024

Kuchipudi/Andhra Natyam Guru KALA KRISHNA received the Honorary Doctorate from Potti Sriramulu Telugu University.

Sanchari Trust presented the 1ST SANCHARI KALA SAMMAN to Guru Aruna Mohanty and the 1ST SAMAKSH YUVA SAMMAN to Rahul Acharya on 28th February 2024 at Utkal Rangamancha, Bhubaneswar.

On February 27, 2024 music and dance critic Dr. M Surya Prasad received the SRI THYAGARAJA PRASHASTHI award carrying a purse of Rs.10000, citation and a shawl, under the aegis of Mysore Mulakanadu Charitable Sabha, Mysore, on the occasion of its annual Sri Thyagaraja Aradhana festival.

Shastriya Nrithya Kalakarula Sankshema Samaikhya presented the BHARATAMUNI PURASHKAR to Veena Murthy Vijay on Feb 25, 2024 at Kakinadu, Andhra Pradesh, during the Bharatamuni Mahotsava.

On February 25, 2024 Kalanilayam presented the DR K VISWANATH GARI AWARD to Sharon Lowen at Hyderabad. Sharon considers it a privilege that the great director K. Viswanath selected her to play herself as inspiration for the heroine of ‘Swarnakamalam’ to value her own classical tradition.

On Feb 20, 2024 at the golden jubilee (50th edition) event of the Khajuraho Dance Festival in Madhya Pradesh at the world renowned heritage site, 1484 artistes came together to set a new Guinness World Record for the biggest Kathak dance performance ever.

Natya Sampada school of dance presented KALAABHISAARIKE AWARD to Kalamandalam Usha Datar and Veena Murthy Vijay and NATYA SIRI AWARD to Dr. Sudharani and Manu Jagadish on February 17, 2024 at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bangalore.

On the concluding day of the 20th Dhauli Mahotsav, Odisha, on February 11, 2024, the BUDDHA SAMMAN 2024 was presented to Madhavi Mudgal for her lifetime contribution in the field of Odissi dance. GURU GANGADHAR SMRUTI SAMMAN 2024 was presented to Guru Simanchala Patro (Prahallad Natak), Pt. Debendra Narayan Satapathy (Hindustani classical vocal), Odissi Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, and Dr. Siddhartha Mohanty (General Medical Practitioner).

Sarasalaya conferred the following awards on Feb 10, 2024 at the 12th Sarasa Natya Mala at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai.
SWAYAM PRAKASHA NARTAKA: Sathyanarayana Raju
NRITYA VIDYA RATNA: Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala
NRITYA SANGEETHA RATNA: Murali Parthasarathy
KJ SARASA MEMORIAL AWARD: S Janaki

Pravaas, produced by Akademi and choreographed by Vidya Patel, received THE GREEN DANCE AWARD at One Dance UK Awards held on 10 February 2024 at Coventry. This award celebrates work that uses dance as a tool to spotlight and respond to environmental & climate issues.

The first PANDIT BIRJU MAHARAJ SAMMAN was conferred by Kalashram on tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain on Feb 3, 2024 at Delhi’s Kamani auditorium.

To recognise the decades of cultural service in Switzerland by D Keshava’s Kalasri, their research project ‘48 YEARS OF DANCE STORY BETWEEN BASEL (SWITZERLAND) AND MYSORE (INDIA)’ is selected by the Basel City Cultural Dept. for 2024.

Soorya Foundation for Performing Arts (Los Angeles-Atlanta) founded by Sushma Mohan, has been awarded ‘2024 GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS’ by the National Endowment for the Arts. This grant was awarded under ‘Grants for Arts Projects - Folk & Traditional Arts’ category to support its annual Los Angeles Indian Dance Festival - LAIDF, featuring Indian classical dancers and dance companies. Two other Indian performing arts organizations in the US received 2024 grants from the NEA - Chhandayan (New York, NY) and Ragamala Dance (Minneapolis, MN).

Sujata Srinivasan has been awarded the 2024 INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR CHOREOGRAPHY by the Ohio Arts Council. She shares this honor with six other outstanding choreographers, out of a pool of 500 applicants.

Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancer and teacher based in Montgomery, AL, SUDHA RAGHURAM has received 2 grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts for 2024 - the Folk arts apprenticeship grant and a project grant titled ‘All the world is a stage’ to organize dance recitals by her students in the Public Libraries of Montgomery.

January 2024

RAM GOPAL: INTERWEAVING HISTORIES OF INDIAN DANCE written by Anne R David is published by Bloomsbury. Both a biography and a history, this book explores the significant role that Indian dancer Ram Gopal (1912-2003) played in bringing Indian dance to international audiences from the 1930s to the late 1960s.

G.Venu a performer, teacher and scholar of Kutiyattam received the highest honour of Fellowship from Kerala Kalamandalam, a deemed University, for the year 2022. The Fellowship encompasses a cash of Rs.50,000, citation and silk shawl. G. Venu has devised the Navarasa Sadhana module as a transformative process for artistes seeking a deeper insight to the depths and diversity of human emotions. He is the founder of Natanakairali (Research and Performing Centre for Traditional Arts). He has authored 20 books on the performing arts of Kerala. Venu was a visiting Master Teacher of Kutiyattam at the National School of Drama in Delhi as well as Intercultural Theatre Institute in Singapore.

Prize winners of Madras Music Academy’s17th Annual Dance Festival 2024
- Bharatanatyam solo (seniors)
G. Narendra: Best dancer
Meenakshi Srinivasan: Outstanding dancer
- Sub seniors - First lot
Mahati Kannan: Best dancer
Harinie Jeevitha: Outstanding dancer
- Sub seniors - Second lot
Jyotsna Jagannathan: Best dancer
KP Rakesh: Outstanding dancer
- Juniors
Bhavajan Kumar: Best dancer
Medha Hari: Outstanding dancer

On the birth centenary celebrations of their founder Kartik Rajagopal on January 28, 2024, Chennai based Kartik Fine Arts presented KARTIK KALA SAMRAT award to Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam, at Narada Gana Sabha main hall, Chennai.

Kalamandalam Saraswathy received the KALA SARATHI - A CHARIOTEER OF ARTS AWARD by the World Forum for Art and Culture, Art of Living, at Bangalore on 26th January 2024.

Sadhna Shrivastav launched her maiden book ‘LEGENDS IN ONE FRAME’ with photographs by the legendary Avinash Pasricha, published by Shubi Publications, on Jan 24, 2024 at New Delhi.

Drishti Art Foundation presented the DRISHTI SRESHTA PURASKAR to Bharatanatyam Guru M R Krishnamurthy for his invaluable contributions to the field of Indian classical dance, on January 20, 2024 at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bangalore.

Aurangabad based Mahagami’s SARNGADEVA SAMMAN was conferred on eminent Manipuri Guru Darshana Jhaveri as a gesture of appreciation and reverence for her lifelong commitment and contribution to the Indian Arts and Manipuri dance tradition, in the third week of January 2024.

On January 14, 2024 Nalanda Dance Research Centre bestowed NALANDA’S KANAKA NARTANA PURASKAR 2023 on Dr.Jayashree Rajagopalan, Keka Sinha, Dr.Prakriti Bhaskar, Dr. Sandip Soparrkar, Vikram Kumar Bathina at its premises in Mumbai. The recipients of NALANDA BHARATA MUNI SAMMAN 2023 are Hema Malini, Darshana Jhaveri, Padma Sharma, Ashit Desai (music), Paresh Rawal (theatre).

Guru Gajendra Kumar Panda received the SWAYAMSHREE NRUTYA PRATIVA SAMMAN 2024 on January 6, 2024 at Souvagya Auditorium, Talcher, organized by Swayamshree Nrutya Anusthan. On Jan 9, he receivedODISHA PERSONALITY AWARD 2024 at Geeta Govinda Sadan, Bhubaneswar, organized by Samayanti Charitable Trust.

The Madras Music Academy presented the SANGITA KALANIDHI award for 2023 to Bombay Jayashri and NRITHYA KALANIDHI award to Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari. The music award was conferred at the Sadas on Jan 1, 2024 and dance award on Jan 3, 2024 at the inauguration of the 17th Annual Dance Festival in Chennai.

Shreema Upadhyaya, disciple of P Praveen Kumar, received THE BEST DANCER award from Madras Music Academy (HCL concert series) on January 3, 2024, Chennai.

Bhavan’s Chennai Chapter awarded EXCELLENCE IN BHARATANATYAM AWARD to Dr.Narthaki Nataraj and Zakir Hussain on Jan 2, 2024.

Dance photographer R Deepak received the ELEGANCE IN MOTION award from Jatin Academy of Dance, Bengaluru, headed by Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer Archana Punyesh, on January 2, 2024 at Ravindra Kalakshetra, “for outstanding contribution as photographer in promoting traditional Indian classical dance.”

Seetha Ratnakar’s documentary on her mother’s musical journey titled ASAMANA ANASUYA was nominated in the competition category at Jaipur International Film Festival

Highlights - Yearwise listing