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 Sangeet Natak Akademi distributes SNA Awards and Fellowships for 2022 & 2023 - Thushara C e-mail: punarjjaniculturalcentre@gmail.com Photos courtesy: Sangeet Natak Akademi March 9, 2024 On March 6, 2024, Sangeet Natak Akademi distributed fellowships and awards to highly deserving Indian artistes from various categories of performing arts for the years 2022 and 2023. The event, held at the Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, saw the much-anticipated shine on the faces of deserving fellowship winners and awardees. Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, in the presence of G. Kishan Reddy, the Minister of Culture, and Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State for Culture, Dr. Sandhya Purecha, the Chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, distributed the awards and fellowships. The President awarded 92 Akademi awards and six fellowships to those who have made significant contributions to various performing arts disciplines.       The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Ratna Samman) recipients are as follows: 1. Vinayak Khedekar - Folklorist who has made significant contributions to the presentation and promotion of Goa's rich heritage 2. R Visweswaran - Veena virtuoso known for his innovative and explorative creativity and expression 3. Sunayana Hazarilal - Kathak dancer known for her mastery in the art and also for her captivating Kathak performances 4. Raja & Radha Reddy - Known as dancing couple, applauded and celebrated for their refined mastery in Kuchipudi 5. Dulal Roy - Theatre actor known for his thought provoking plays 6. DP Sinha - Theatre playwright, celebrated for his multifaceted contributions as a playwright and administrator Dr. Sandhya Purecha greeted the distinguished guests presented on the dais, appreciated the winners, and also expressed her gratitude to each and every artiste for participating in the celebration of India's cultural richness. Sandhya Purecha also mentioned that the awards are given not only for practicing the art but also for taking steps to safeguard and propagate it around the world. She sent her heartfelt appreciation to India's esteemed Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, for providing opportunities for men and women to participate and showcase their skills at the G20, Bharat Mandapam, and Vishwakarma Yojana. These initiatives have consequently elevated Indian culture internationally. In his statement, Arjun Ram Meghwal expressed appreciation to the fellowship and award recipients. He said, "The worth of an artiste to culture is equal to the significance of rain in nature." He stressed that artistes properly nourish culture. G. Kishan Reddy highlighted the Ministry of Culture's efforts to preserve archaic instruments and traditional forms of art while also addressing how technology can be used to promote art and culture. He also emphasised the ongoing work being undertaken by the government to create an artiste database, and the efforts are in progress. Droupadi Murmu's address marked the conclusion of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards and fellowship distribution. The finest illustrations of India's soft power, according to her, are found in its artistic achievements, so that our foreign strategy incorporates Indian arts as a crucial component. Additionally, Murmu brought up the Rabindranath Tagore quotation, which states that, "Art is not just for art itself; artistes use their art to represent themselves, their thoughts, for expressing their views, etc."  The event, graced by esteemed dignitaries, underscored the importance of preserving and promoting India's rich cultural heritage on both national and global platforms. As the curtains drew on the ceremony, it reaffirmed the profound impact of art in shaping societal narratives and fostering cultural exchange.  Thushara C has completed her Masters in journalism and mass communication and is currently working as content editor at Punarjjani Bharat. She has studied various art forms for 7+ years in Kerala and is now following her passion for writing as an art writer. |
