Over 30 eminent artistes received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna and Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Puraskar at an event organised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, here on Wednesday.
Governor K. Rosaiah presented the awards to the personalities who were from the field of music, dance, theatre and other art forms. The Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Samman was instituted to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Rosaiah lauded the efforts of the Akademi in promoting Tagore's writings, publications and works. He said what unifies these personalities who are from various parts of southern India is their “service to their chosen arts sustained over a lifetime, and the contributions they have made in their several fields.”
Leela Samson, Chairperson, Sangeet Natak Akademi, said a total of 100 artistes of eminence, who are over 75 years of age and above, were elected for the Tagore Samman.
She said these were people who have never sought clamour, and members of the general council have done their best to choose people of eminence from every region in the country. Shanta Serbjeet Singh, vice-chairman, and Helen Acharya, acting secretary of Sangeet Natak Akademi, spoke.
A musical presentation by Madras Youth Choir added colour to the evening.
