Report 

Bharat Kalachar awards for 2006 
 
 
December 19, 2006  

 
Bharat Kalachar is one of the well established culture and art promoting institutions in Chennai. The Bharat Kalachar awards for this year were conferred on December 15, 2006 at the YGP Auditorium, Chennai, on the inaugural day of their annual festival. 

Shanta and Dhananjayan, famous Bharatanaatyam duo, were awarded VISWA KALA BHARATI. The US Consul General Mr. David Hopper presided and presented the award to the couple, given in recognition of The Dhananjayans' service to promote Indian art and culture abroad, spanning four decades. Y G Mahendra, Secretary, Bharat Kalachar described them as the most deserving artistes of rare merit. From the old Kalakshetra days (1952 onwards) Shanta and Dhananjayan have been living in Adyar and they have now become the legendary Adyar Couple.  

 
Mr. David Hopper, US Consul General (Chennai), Shanta Dhananjayan, Mrs. Hopper, Mrs. YGP and V P Dhananjayan

Bharatanatyam guru Sudharani Raghupathy received the Viswa Kala Bharati Award for her contribution as ambassador of Indian culture among visiting American students every alternate year for the past 2 decades. She is an early pioneer of the bhakti margam and is celebrating 60 years of her dedication to dance. 

The award carries a silver medal and Rs.10, 000 (ten thousand) cash. Several artists from the field of Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam, cinema, drama and theatre also received various titles and awards: GNANA KALA BHARATHI for Vyjayanthimala Bali for dance; KALA SEVA BHARATHI for Roja Kannan; YUVA KALA BHARATHI for Lavanya Ananth, R Vineet, Nritya Jagannathan and Anwesha Das (Bharatanatyam), S Divyasena (all-rounder in Bharatanatyam, nattuvangam and choreography) and Nagalakshmi (dramatics). Bharatanatyam guru K J Sarasa was conferred ACHARYA KALA BHARATHI.