As Margaret Cousins vividly expressed, appreciation is not only the highlight of a day but can also ignite a transformative spark in one’s life. This sentiment gains particular resonance when considering the prestigious national awards issued by the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA), India’s premier cultural institution dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the performing arts. The Akademi has been a cultural cornerstone since the 1950s, celebrating and nurturing India’s diverse artistic expressions in music, dance, and drama.
The inception of the SNA awards dates back to 1952, and each year, the Akademi meticulously selects recipients for the esteemed Akademi Ratna or Fellowship, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar, and the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, named to honor the memory of the legendary shehnai virtuoso.
Six luminaries are to be bestowed with the Fellowship of the Akademi for the years 2022-23, an accolade signifying towering prestige. These veterans include Vinayak Khedekar, a famed folklorist from Goa known for his dedication to preserving the state’s heritage; R. Visweswaran, a Carnatic veena maestro based in Bengaluru; Sunayana Hazarilal, a distinguished Kathak teacher; the celebrated Kuchipudi dancing couple Raja & Radha Reddy from Delhi; Dulal Roy, a multifaceted actor, director, and playwright; and Daya Prakash Sinha, a revered playwright and arts administrator.
Reflecting India’s rich and multifarious cultural tapestry, a total of 92 artists have been recognized with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for 2022 and 2023, honoring talents from diverse realms including music, dance, theatre, as well as traditional folk, tribal forms, puppetry, and the broader domain of performing arts scholarship.
The Akademi Fellow distinction includes a financial reward of three lakh rupees, with the Akademi Award promising one lakh rupees, in addition to a tamrapatra and angavastram – symbols of reverence and honor respectively. The 2024 investiture ceremony, led by President of India Droupadi Murmu, at the Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, marked the conferred felicitations.
The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, introduced in 2006, encourages youthful artistic spirits by selecting 80 promising young artists for 2022 and 2023 to receive this acknowledgment, accompanied by a purse of 25,000 rupees, a tamrapatra and angavastram. The chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi will oversee a special awards ceremony to honor these rising talents.
In the spirit of brevity, the article spotlights illustrious winners in the Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam disciplines while also shining a light on recipients from the states of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, although a diverse array of genres has seen representation among the awardees.
The distinguished Maharajapuram Ramachandran, Manda Sudharani, and veena virtuoso Jayanthi Kumaresh are among the 2022 awardees for their contributions to Carnatic music. Meanwhile, the 2023 list features eminent personalities like Bombay Jayashri Ramnath and Shankar Sastry in the same field. Bharatanatyam sees the likes of Urmila Sathyanarayanan and Nirupama Rajendra & T.D. Rajendra being acknowledged for their excellence and innovative approaches to the traditional dance form.
The SNA’s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2022-23 celebrates young virtuosos such as Carnatic vocalist K. Gayatri and Bharatanatyam artiste Mandakranta Roy, amongst others, many of whom have committed their lives to full-time performance artistry and enjoy prime-time representation in the performing arts circles.
For the senior artists receiving these honors, the award ceremony is more than a moment of achievement; it represents heartfelt joy and pride, blended with profuse gratitude towards their supportive families, mentors, fellow artists, pupils, and dedicated audience members. As these artists ascend the echelons of their careers, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards stand as a testament to their remarkable devotion to India’s performing arts.
