State's honour of Allahrakha: Maya Rao bags Shantala Award

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, JAN. 4. Six State awards in the fields of music, dance and drama for 1999 have been announced and the notable among the recipients include Ustad Allahrakha Khan, who has bagged the coveted T.Chowdaiah Award.

The Minister of State for Kannada and Culture, Ms Rani Satish, who announced the awards, said the State Government had accepted the recommendations of the special committees constituted for selecting the recipients for the awards. Each special committee comprised veterans in the field of music, art and culture. The awards would be presented at special ceremonies to be held in various parts of the State, including Bangalore. The Government's preference would be to hold the presentation ceremony in the native place of the recipient, she added.

The winners of the various awards include Ms Maya Rao, who has bagged the Shantala Award, Mr. M. J. Shuddhodhana, Varuna Shilpi Venkatappa Award, Mr. Sheshagiri Hangal, Kanaka Purandara Award, Mr. Shimoga Subbanna, Sant Shishunal Shariff Award and Mr. P. B. Duttarigi, Gubbi Veeranna Award.

While the T. Chowdaiah Award is a national award for artistes who had a wide recognition, all the other awards are basically for artistes who have a good recognition in the State. The prize money for the Chowdaiah Award is Rs. 1.5 lakhs while the others will receive a purse of Rs. 1 lakh each. The awardees will also be presented a tamrapatra each.

The annual T. Chowdaiah Award, instituted in 1994, is given to an instrumentalist. The first recipient of the award was Ustad Bismillah Khan (Shenai) followed by the late Dr V.Doreswamy Iyengar (Veena), Dr Rajeev Taranath (Sarod) and Sri Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan (Violin). Ustad Allahrakha Khan is a well-known name in Hindustani music and has given solo performances worldwide. His son, Zakir Hussain, has also attracted attention worldwide. Dr M.R.Gautam headed the committee which selected Ustad Allahrakha for the Chowdaiah Award.

Ms Maya Rao, who has been selected for the Shantala Award is a veteran danseuse known for her versatility. She is well versed in Bharatanatya, Kathak, Manipuri, Kathakali and Kandyan. She is a disciple of Shambu Maharaj and Soundar Prasad. Ms Maya Rao opened a dance school in Bangalore in 1950.

Mr. Pundalika Basanagowda Duttarigi (70), winner of the Gubbi Veeranna Award for excellence in theatre, was born in Hungund taluk of Bagalkot District. He has been a professional artiste since childhood. He has also been a playwright. The plays he has written include ``Kalpana Prapancha,'' ``Nanda Deepa'' and ``Nyaya Deesha'' and the famous plays in which he has acted include ``Taayi Karalu,'' ``Sampathige Savaal'' and ``Mala Magalu.'' Mr. Duttarigi is also a recipient of the Kannada Rajyotsava Award and the award of the Karnataka Nataka Academy.

Mr. Shimoga Subbanna (61), selected for the Sant Shishunala Shariff Award for light music, is an advocate by profession. He also has a grounding in classical music and has been an All India Radio artiste since 1963.

Mr. M. G. Shuddodan (80), the recipient of the Varuna Shilpi Venkatappa Award, is a veteran painter of the Mysore School of Painting. He was a disciple of renowned artists such as K.Keshavaiah and S.G.Tankasale at the Chamarajendra Technical Institute, Mysore, and was later appointed a teacher at the same place. He is well known in the field of painting for over six decades and his paintings have been displayed at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan.

Mr. Sheshagiri Hangal (76), who has bagged the Kanaka Purandara Award, is a veteran tabla player and has been associated with All India Radio for 32 years. He has performed all over the country and abroad.

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