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 Milapfest to honor Narthaki.com and Dr. Anita Ratnam with Vishwa Kala Ratna January 6, 2017 Narthaki.com - the global dance web portal and Dr. Anita Ratnam as its Founder Director, have been chosen for the first International Arts Award established by the Milap Festival Trust for the year 2017. “The Award VISHWA KALA RATNA which is the extension of the well established British National Indian Arts Awards Program, celebrates and acknowledges the sterling contribution made by dynamic, well established individuals/organizations towards promoting and strengthening Indian Arts globally. Through the establishment of narthaki.com as a unique, cutting edge, and dynamic digital meeting and thinking place for Indian dance professionals globally, Dr. Anita Ratnam has created a trail blazing international portal that brings together, informs, energizes and enthuses Indian as well as international dance professionals and connoisseurs. Narthaki.com and Dr. Ratnam’s monthly column not only provide an amazing platform where creative endeavour comes together, and many aspiring young dancers discover new directions, it also uniquely celebrates and challenges many established norms, providing its own creative dynamism in bringing about the change that must move the art forms forward in future. As a dancer, choreographer, dance critic and a free thinking academic, Dr. Ratnam has made a major and often not fully recognized contribution to bringing Indian dance forms prominently on the world stage. This award is a recognition and celebration of Dr. Ratnam’s lifelong devotion and contribution to Indian Arts and Culture internationally,” says Prashant Nayak, director of Milapfest. Milapfest will confer the award in England at the Awards Ceremony later in the year.  “I am delighted to receive this award on behalf of my colleagues Lalitha
Venkat and Sumathi who have been with me ever since the inception of
www.narthaki.com in April of 2000. This dance portal has grown to become
the independent voice of the Indian dance community across the globe
and I have always focused on including voices from all styles of dance,
traditional, classical, modern and contemporary. In an age of
convergence and dazzling technology, dancers need to acknowledge the
importance of independent reports and opinions that are not mediated by
the traditional media conglomerates. That www.narthaki.com has been singled out for the very first global award by the prestigious MILAPFEST cultural committee speaks of the reach and impact that my writings and the overall tone of the portal signifies for young dancers worldwide. As we recognize the tightening of opinions and the rise of extremism across the globe, the arts are not impervious to such influences. I, along with my colleagues, will continue to work towards maintaining our focus on diversity, complexity and integrity that has become the hallmark of www.narthaki.com This award is also a testament to the global dance community that has embraced our portal and its multiple voices. To the writers and readers of this portal, I send my heartfelt thanks.” - Dr. Anita R Ratnam Founder and Managing Editor Comments Hearty congratulations, Anita, on this richly deserved award. Best wishes for many more to follow. Congratulations to Lalitha and Sumathi too. - Usha Raghavan, Kalasagara UK Richly deserved for your contribution. - Malavika Sarukkai Congrats on the well deserved award. Narthaki has been a pioneer in different aspects of art journalism and appreciate your efforts to bring out this newsletter and create a forum for discussion of our arts. - Sujatha Srinivasan Heartening News indeed! Much merited recognition for the invaluable contribution made to the world of dance by Anita and her loyal Narthaki team. Congratulations from the Kala Bharati Parivar in Montreal. - Mamata Niyogi Nakra Hearty congratulations, Anita-ji!! And team NARTHAKI. No doubt that the portal was and is a trend setter!! - Lakshmi Ramaswamy Congratulations, Madam and team. Personally, I have learnt so much from this portal. - Kavya Kasinathan Hearty Congrats! Very deserving as Narthaki is always very prompt, informative & interesting! -Rama Sri Brilliant news, Anita, and huge congratulations to you and the team. Amazing work you do for dance. - Ann David Tremendous. What recognition for sustained and ongoing passion in making a transparent dance community. So proud. - Geeta Chandran Congratulations to all of you and thank you, for helping the dance community worldwide! - Malathi Iyengar Narthaki.com was a revolution… much ahead of its times and had been a great tool for all dancers and dance lovers to spread the word of their work globally....kudos to you, Anita R Ratnam. - Sudarshan Chakravorty Congratulations... You are the pioneer in this platform, it was one of the first ones that caught my attention about 16 years ago ... Many best wishes to you and may you reach the zenith of creativity. - Anindita Nanda I am an avid reader of Narthaki on the cyber universe. On the first of each month, for several years now, I wait to read the candid comments, editorial and news about dance events. Heartiest congratulations on this well deserved recognition. -Shyamala Raman Well deserved congratulations, Anita R Ratnam, and your team ! It certainly is perhaps the only publication online that connects artists and connoisseurs globally!! -Hema Rajagopalan Congratulations, Anita, for well deserved recognition. Anyone can claim their dance has traveled globally. But from personal experience I can say that Narthaki is a pioneer in bringing dance to the global audience and information and conversations relating to dance to the fingertips of anyone anywhere in the world. Kudos to you for that vision. -Bhuvana Nandakumar CONGRATS! Well done. You were always ahead of your time. When you started this many of us didn't even have an email account!!! - Rajika Puri Congratulations to you and your team and yes the Nartaki portal has been great for dance, dancers and for the lovers of dance. More power to all of you. - Astad Deboo Fantastic, Anita R Ratnam, Kudos for such a visionary idea - Sandhya Raman Long overdue! Congrats Anita, Lalitha and the back office team of NARTHAKI.com! You are several times more than the Huff Post and BBC put together for the Indian classical dance world! You pioneered dance journalism the way no one else did! More power to all of you! Here's to many more such accolades! Happy and proud to be associated with you in this wonderful journey! - Veejay Sai Congrats to you all for the pioneering work for dancers worldwide! -Anu Naimpally This is a well deserved recognition for the wonderful work done by the Narthaki team. - Snigdha Venkataramani |
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