The Eighth Day: Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees’ Festival

The Eighth Day: Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees’ Festival

New Delhi, July 30: The eighth day of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees’ Festival, featuring recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2010, being held between 23-31 July in the premises of Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) here, witnessed one performance by noted artiste, namely – Chandatai Jagdish Tiwadi and Group (Bharud-Folk Theatre of Maharashtra, T. Somasundaram (Karagam-Folk Dance of Tamil Nadu), Krishna Kumari and Group (Bhakha-Folk Music of Jammu and Kashmir), K Chinna Anjanamma and Group (Tolu Bommalata-Shadow Puppetry of Andhra Pradesh)
Profile of artist is detailed below:

CHANDATAI JAGDISHPRASAD TIWADI

Bharud – Folk Theatre of Maharashtra CHANDATAI JAGDISH TIWADI and Group

Born in 1949 in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, Shrimati Chandatai Jagdishprasad Tiwadi took formal training in vocal music at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, and was a student of Shri Narayanrao Vitthalrao Badve in the mid-1980s. A devotional singer of the Varkari community, she has been singing and enacting Bharud — Sant Eknath’s dramatic poems — for many years, travelling from Alindi to Pandharpur.Shrimati Chandatai Tiwadi has gained wide popularity for her rendition of Bharud. She has been honoured with a number of awards, including the Kirtan Puraskar conferred by the Social Welfare Ministry of the Government of Maharashtra, and the Savitribai Phule Puraskar bestowed by the Zilla Parishad of Solapur. The Bharatiya Marathi Paramparik Lok Kala Parishad has honoured her with the title Bharud Samrajni, and the Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya, Bangalore, has presented her its Sankirtan Sourabh Puraskar. She has conducted workshops in Pune for the Song and Drama Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, and has given lecture-demonstrations at the Lok Kala Academy of Mumbai University.Shrimati Chandatai Tiwadi has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for her contribution to the Bharud theatre of Maharashtra.

Karagam – Folk Dance of Tamil Nadu

THIYAGARAJAN SOMASUNDARAM

Born in 1965 in Madurai, Shri Thiyagarajan Somasundaram received his training in folk dances of Tamil Nadu under Shri Om Peria Swami and M. Pitchaiappa. He has specialized in the Dummy Horse Dance, the Peacock Dance, and Oiyilattam. At the same time, Shri Somasundaram has equipped himself academically, obtaining an MA, MPhil, and PhD in the folklore of South India. He has travelled and performed widely in folk dance festivals in India and abroad. Shri T. Somasundaram is today an established performer and teacher of the folk dance and music of South India. A number of young artists have been trained under him in folk dances of the region. To carry this work forward, he has founded the Tamil Nadu Rural Arts Development Centre in Madurai, an institution which has received accredition from Unesco for its work in the folk arts. He has received several honours including the Kalaimamani from the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram, a Special Award from the Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu, and the National Youth Award conferred by the Ministry of Youth Welfare and Sports, Government of India. Shri Thiyagarajan Somasundaram has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for his contribution to the folk dance of Tamil Nadu.

Bhakha – Folk Music of Jammu and Kashmir KRISHNA KUMARI and Group

KRISHNA KUMARI

Born in 1949 in Jammu, Shrimati Krishna Kumari received her training in music from Shri Thande Khan and Chaman Masse. A successful performer of the traditional song-form Bhakha for the past four decades, Shrimati Krishna Kumari has also distinguished herself as a composer of songs in this genre. A top-ranking artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, she has performed in various national festivals. She has also participated in several international events such as the Festival of India in France. For her dedicated work in promoting the traditional music of Jammu, Shrimati Krishna Kumari has been honoured by the State and autonomous organizations. These honours include a gold medal of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, and an award conferred by the Dogri Sansthan for her lifetime contribution to Dogri folk music. Shrimati Krishna Kumari has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for her contribution to the folk music of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tolu Bommalata – Shadow Puppetry of Andhra Pradesh K CHINNA ANJANAMMA and Group

K. CHINNA ANJANAMMA

Born in 1957 in Dharmavaram, Andhra Pradesh, Shrimati K. Chinna Anjanamma belongs to a family of traditional puppeteers. She was initiated into the art of Tolu Bommalata — the shadow puppet theatre of Andhra Pradesh — by her father Shri Sinde Narayanappa and her mother Shrimati Santhamma. She was then only four years old. Shrimati Anjanamma has acquired proficiency in all aspects of the practice of Tolu Bommalata. Her skills cover the making of puppets — cutting, punching, and painting the large figures — besides manipulation and narration. She has entertained rural and urban audiences in Andhra Pradesh, and besides performed in festivals elsewhere in India. In 2004, she participated in the International Puppet Festival in Tolosa, Spain. Shrimati K. Chinna Anjanamma has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2010 for her contribution to the Tolu Bommalata puppet tradition of Andhra Pradesh.



Secretary SNA, Jayant Kastuar observed, “Akademi Awards 2010 covered artist from J&K to Kerala & Maharashtra to Manipur. Our folk art traditions represent the creative expression of the people of the entire substituent. We had four such outstanding presentation today from Maharasthra Jammu & Kashmir, Tamilnadu & Andhra Pradesh. The Megdoot theatre came alive with the sounds & colors of the regions.”

The Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) and Akademi Award (Akademi Puraskar) are the most coveted national honours conferred on performing artists, gurus and scholars of the performing arts. These honours are decided by the Akademi’s General Council, the apex body consisting of eminent artists, scholars and nominees of the Government of India and of different States and Union Territories of the country.

Sangeet Natak Akademi, established by the Government of India on 31 May 1952, is the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. It was created as the apex body in the country for the task of preservation and promotion of the performing art traditions of India. One of the important activities of the Akademi has been to give recognition and honours to artists in order to set standards in the performing arts, and to restore art and the artists to their rightful place in independent India.