President Pranab Mukherjee gives Sangeet Natak Akademi awards

NEW DELHI: Doyen of Indian theatre MS Sathyu, eminent vocalists SR Jankiraman, Vijay Kumar Kichlu and Harmonium player Tulsidas Borkar were today awarded coveted Sangeet Natak Akademi fellowship by President Pranab Mukherjee.

Along with them, 35 other noted personalities from various disciplines of dance, drama and music were conferred Akademi awards for 2014 by the President at a glittering ceremony in the imposing Darbaar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Eminent folk singer from Jammu and Kashmir Abdul Rashid Hafiz who is known for his renditions of traditional singing Chakri was among eight artists facilitated for their contribution in traditional arts.

61-year old Hafiz, who trained under Sarangi Nawaz Gulam Muhammad Dar, is known for giving Chakri his own touch. Chakri is one of the most popular types of traditional music played in Jammu and Kashmir. The responsorial singing uses harmonium, and traditional instruments like the rubab, the nout, the geger and the chimta.

The Akademi Awards carries purse money of Rs one lakh in cash, a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram.

Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) are recognised as the most coveted national honours bestowed on performing artists as well as teachers and scholars in the field of performing arts.

Among the eminent artists awarded fellowship of the Akademi, 85-year-old Sathyu is doyen of Indian theatre known for his classic movie 'Garam Hawa' on partition which introduced actors like Farooq Sheikh to Indian cinema.

Besides, he has designed and directed productions for many theatre groups including Hindustani Theatre, Alyque Padamsee's Theatre, Herbert Marshall's civic theatre, Balraj Sahni's Juhu Art Theatre among others. His play Mudra Rakshas will be performed on October 27.