As part of Kartik Fine Arts' 16th Tamil Isai Vizha 2011, Carnatic musician Sudha Ragunathan and her disciple V. Deepika on Sunday received the ‘Tamil Isai Vendar' and ‘Isai Chudar' awards respectively.
The ‘Tamil Isai Vendar' award carries a citation, memento and Rs.25,000.
Along with citation, Ms. Deepika received a gold medal from her mentor and a cheque for Rs.5,000.
Delivering the special address, arts patron Nalli Kuppuswami said that it was for the first time in the annals of Carnatic music both the mentor and her disciple were conferred awards in the same year.
He also conferred the ‘Sirkazhi Govindarajan Memorial Award' on Tiruttani Swaminatha Oduvar and presented the ‘Guru Karaikudi Mani Award' to Nellai A. Balaji.
In her response, Ms. Ragunathan commended R. Rajagopal, founder-secretary, Kartik Fine Arts for serving the field of arts for nearly six decades and said that she was bagging the second award from the association after two decades. In 1991, she received the ‘Isai Peroli' award.
“This award has boosted my confidence. I would do my best to promote Tamil Isai of the sangam era by giving a full-length recital on the theme soon, for which I need the support of my rasikas,” she said.
Expand to new areas
Thangam Meganathan, Chairperson, Rajalakshmi group of Institutions, urged the organisers to conduct music programmes in thickly populated areas, apart from the traditional places, so that it would help reach more rasikas. She also appealed to the performing artists to come forward and perform in newer areas.
L. Sabaretnam, chairman, Kartik Fine Arts spoke.
