Classical dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy will be conferred the title ‘Natya Vidya Bharathi’ by the Visakha Music and Dance Academy (VMDA) on the first day of its annual week-long music, dance and drama festival at the Kalabharathi Auditorium till August 18.
At a press conference here on Monday, founder-president of the VMDA C.S.N. Raju said president of The Music Academy, Madras N. Murali would present the award to the doyen of Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi Yamini Krishnamurthy. Apart from a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, she will also receive a golden lotus worth ₹.2.5 lakh, clothes and a citation,” he said.
Trustee and honorary secretary of the academy G.R.K. Prasad (Rambabu) said opportunity would be given to the local artistes to showcase their talent during the annual edition.
“Earlier, the festival was held for six days. But it has been extended for a week to give preference to local artistes. This year, city-based Nadaswaram Vidwan Guruvilla Appanna will present a concert,” he stated. He said most artistes for the event had been selected after reading articles published in The Hindu .
On August 12, the award presentation ceremony will be followed by the presentation of dance by the disciples of Dr. Yamini Krishnamurthy.
There will be nadaswaram concert by Guruvilla Appanna (August 14), Hindustani vocal concert by Munjusha Karmakar Patil (August 15), Carnatic vocal concert by T.M. Krishna (August 16) and Shankar Sastry (August 17) and verse-drama ‘Maharshi Valmiki’ (August 18) as a part of the festival at the auditorium from 6:30 p.m.
