Vice-President of India Bestows Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards on 84 Distinguished Artists in the Performing Arts
New Delhi, September 15, 2023 – The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, presided over a special ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, to honor 84 revered artists from India’s performing arts scene with the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards. These remarkable artists, all above the age of 75 and yet to receive national honors in their careers, were recognized for their exceptional contributions to the field of performing arts.
The awards ceremony took place as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration, signifying India’s 75 years of independence. The event was attended by dignitaries, including Minister of Law and Justice (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Culture and Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs, Meenakashi Lekhi, and Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Dr. Sandhya Purecha.
In his address, Vice President Dhankhar stressed the importance of preserving India’s rich cultural heritage, which spans over 5000 years. He called upon the media to play a role in recognizing and safeguarding this heritage and advocated for structured support to nurture talented artists. Dhankhar expressed his delight in honoring individuals whose contributions uphold the cultural pride and heritage of the nation.
Dhankhar praised the awardees, describing them as the architects and protectors of India’s cultural heritage. He acknowledged that their invaluable contributions should have been recognized long ago and commended the splendid display of Indian culture on the global stage during the G-20 summit. Dhankhar expressed confidence that, with the right leadership, India will reach its pinnacle on the global stage by 2047.
Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal expressed pride in honoring individuals who have tirelessly contributed to music, dance, and theater. He highlighted that the Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards, as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, are a fitting tribute to the distinguished masters of the performing arts, acknowledging them as the real heroes of India’s cultural heritage.
Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs, Meenakashi Lekhi, emphasized India’s unity in diversity and the existence of various dance, music, and theater forms that have endured for centuries. She regarded the elder artists as torchbearers of India’s age-old civilization, rich in cultural values.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards are a national honor conferred upon performing artists, teachers, and scholars in the field of performing arts. The recipients are chosen by the Akademi’s General Council, composed of distinguished musicians, dancers, theater artists, and scholars, along with nominees from the Government of India, State Governments, and Union Territories. Each award carries a purse of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), a Tamrapatra, and Angavastram.
Among the awardees are Raghubir Malik and Dina Nath Mishra for Hindustani vocal, Gowri Kuppuswamy and Anasuya Kulkarni for Carnatic vocal, Lalitha Srinivasan and Vilasini Devi Krishnapillai for Bharatnatyam, and Smita Shastri and Kumkum Lal for Kuchipudi and Odishi, respectively. The awardees also include representatives from the folk genre, such as Mahabir Nayak from Jharkhand for music, Harishchandra Prabhakar Borkar from Maharashtra for theater, and Dharmeswar Nath of Assam for dance.
Following the award ceremony, a festival of performing arts featuring the Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award recipients is scheduled from September 16 to 20, 2023, at 6 p.m. daily at the Meghdoot Complex, Sangeet Natak Akademi, located at 35, Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi.
