Bharatanatyam exponent Alarmel Valli was given the lifetime achievement award for her contribution to the dance form during the inauguration of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s ‘Natya Utsav 2014’.
The festival was inaugurated on Saturday by Philip A. Min, consul general of the United States at Bhavan’s TAG auditorium in Kilpauk.
Justice M. Chockalingam, judicial member, National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone, Chennai, was the special guest. K. Parasaran, former attorney general and vice-chairman of Bhavan’s Chennai Kendra, welcomed the gathering. Ms. Valli’s award, instituted by P. Obul Reddy and P. Gnanambal Memorial Trust, consisted of Rs. 1 lakh, a medallion, a shawl and a citation.
Bhavan’s cultural awards for the year 2014 were given to Saashwathi Prabhu and Shubashree Ramachandran (vocal), S. Venkatraman (tambura), K. Mahathi (keyboard), S. Anjani (veena), S. Aswini (mridangam) and K. Venkatesh and K. Murugan (light and sound technicians).
L. Sabaretnam, chairman of Bhavan’s Chennai Kendra presided over the function and K.N. Ramaswamy, director, Bhavan’s Chennai Kendra, was also present.
