Date:31/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/31/stories/2006123103990900.htm

National

Sangeet Natak Akademi awards announced

33 people selected as awardees for 2006

NEW DELHI: Violin maestro T.N. Krishnan, Kathak dancer Rohini Bhate, Tabla player Pt. Krishan Maharaj and Gursharan Singh have been chosen for the coveted Sangeet Natak Akademi's fellowship for the year 2006.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna or Akademi fellowship is restricted to 30 living personalities at any given point of time.

33 awardees for 2006

The awards for 2006 were also announced on Saturday, with the general council of the Akademi selecting 33 practitioners of music, dance, theatre and puppetry as awardees for the year 2006.

Hindustani vocalist Rashid Khan and Sitarist Shahid Parvez Khan will be awarded for excellence in the field of music, the Akademi said in a release here.

Creative and experimental dancer Garima Hazarika, Mohiniattam performer Kalamandalam Vimala Menon and Odissi dance artist Surendranath Jena have been selected for their contribution to dance.

Tribal artists listed

Some tribal artists and folk performers, including Naurang Lal Bhat for puppetry, Emerson Thangiew for traditional Meghalayan dance and K. Mangi Singh for Manipuri music will also receive the `Akademi Puraskar.'

The Overall Contribution Award will go to octogenarian theatre personality Rekha Jain, who pioneered and promoted child drama. — PTI