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Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu today conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Sangeet Natak Awards for the year 2018 and National Awards of Lalit Kala Akademi to eminent artists at a special function held in New Delhi today. Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship was given to four artists while 40 others were honoured with Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards. Lalit Kala Akademi Awards were given 23 personalities including three fellows.
The four fellows, who have been awarded with Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, are Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, Jatin Goswami, Dr. Sonal Mansingh and Thiruvidaimarudur Kuppiah Kalyanasundaram. They have been honoured for their eminent contribution in the field of the Performing Arts. The Lalit Kala Akademi has awarded the prestigious Fellowships to three outstanding artists Himmat Shah, Jyoti Bhatt and Shyam Sharma.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said that the artists of the country have strengthened the thread of continuity connecting its rich past in all its glory, to the present and future. Mr Naidu said that it is the duty of each one of us to preserve and promote India’s grand cultural traditions and various art forms. Union Minister for Culture G. Kishan Reddy said that culture and arts are the sole of Indian community and therefore, it is important to preserve and promote the country’s ancient and culture and arts.
Talking to AIR News, folk singer and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Malini Awasthi appealed to the youth to preserve and promote the country’s rich traditions and culture.
Sangeet Natak Akademi has also organized a festival of Performing Arts from today which is being held at Kamani Auditorium and Meghdoot Complex, Rabindra Bhavan in New Delhi till 19th of this month. The festival of Performing Arts showcasing the Akademi awardees will continue for a period of eleven days bringing to the audience a delectable range of performances from across the length and breadth of the country and ranging over a wide spectrum of genres such as music, dance, drama, folk and tribal and allied arts and puppetry.
