Noted vocalist S. Sowmya has been chosen for the Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy and she will preside over 93rd annual conference of the Academy to be held between December 12, 2019, and January 1, 2020.
“She is a high-calibre vocalist who has an intellectual approach towards Carnatic music,” said N. Murali, president of the Academy, said.
A student of Dr. S. Ramanathan and T. Mukta, Ms. Sowmya equally excelled in her academic pursuit and obtained a doctorate from the Madras University.
Mr. Murali said she was the youngest musician to receive the coveted award in recent times after Sanjay Subramaniam. “We either select a veteran or young talent. We do not stick to any particular norm in selecting the artist,” he explained.
Sangita Kala Acharya awards will go to vocalists Seetha Narayanan and M.S. Sheela.
Nagaswaram player Vyasarpadi Kothandaraman and vocalist Rajkumar Bharathi will get the TTK awards while Aarti N. Rao will get the Musicologist Award.
All awards will be conferred during the Sadas of the Academy on January 1.
The Nritya Kalanidhi award for Dance will be conferred on Priyadarshini Govind at the inauguration of the dance festival on January 3, 2020.
