94 artistes receive Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for 2022, 2023

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi awards to a total of 94 artistes from varied fields of performing arts for 2022 and 2023.

She also gave the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship to seven eminent artistes, including one joint fellowship, during a ceremony held at the Vigyan Bhawan here.

The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama selects eminent personalities in the field of performing arts as Akademi Fellows.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Murmu highlighted the role of performing arts in India's cultural heritage.

"Since ancient times, art forms have been given a high place in Indian culture. Keeping Bharat Muni's Natya Shastra at par with the Vedas, it has been called the fifth Veda. The breadth and comprehensiveness of the art form found in his Natyashastra is rare in any other book in the world," Murmu said.

The president noted that there are many examples when artistes used their art for social welfare.

"Artistes have been challenging stereotypes and prejudices through their art. They have been awakening society through their art. Our arts are the best example of India's soft-power which is why it is part of India's foreign policy," she added.

Murmu also congratulated the recipients of Akademi's Fellowship and Awards and said "they will continue to enrich the Indian art tradition through various forms and genres of music and drama".

Apart from the seven fellows, a total of 94 individuals across the fields of music, dance, theatre, traditional/folk/tribal music/dance/theatre, puppetry and overall contribution received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

The artistes cover the entire gamut of the performing arts such as Hindustani and Carnatic vocal music, Hindustani and Carnatic instrumental music, and Sugam Sangeet; the major forms of Indian dance such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Chhau, Odissi, Sattriya, Mohiniattam as well as contemporary dance. Artistes with different specialisations of theatre such as playwriting, direction, acting, make-up, and lighting as well as other major traditions of theatre like Ramleela, Ankiya Bhaona and Kutiyattam have been selected.

The fellows are folklorist and author Vinayak Khedekar, veena player R Visweswaran, Kathak dancer Sunayana Hazarilal, Kuchipudi dancing couple Raja and Radha Reddy, theatre director Dulal Roy, and playwright DP Sinha.

The award of Akademi Fellow carries a prize money of Rs 3 lakh, while the Akademi award carries a prize money of Rs 1 lakh, besides a 'tamrapatra' and 'angavastram'.