Festival of Performing Arts begins, Akademi Awardees showcase their Art

Festival of Performing Arts begins, Akademi Awardees showcase their Art.

New Delhi, : The first day of Festival of Performing Arts, featuring recipients of the SangeetNatakAcademi Awards 2010, being held between 23-31 July in the premises of Sangeet Natak Academi(SNA) here, witnessed two captivating performances from two notedl artistes – Pt. Yashpal and Mr. Nityanand Haldipur.

Highly acknowledged Hindustani classical vocalist -Pt. Yashpal’senchanting recital left the rasicasmoved, yet spell bound. Mr. JayantKastuar, Secretary, SNA, said, “It was a rare performance of a senior and reputed artist Pt. Yashpaul to regaled the rasicas with his choicest composition.”

PtYashpalwas born in Western Punjab in 1937. He is also an excellent composer who has composed rare ragas under the name ‘SagunPiya’. A top-ranking artist of AIR and Doordarshan, he is recipient of SangeetShiromani award in 2004 and Punjab SangeetNatakAcademi award in 2008.

The second performance wasgiven byNityanandHaldipur, a well-known flute artist. Mr. Haldipur has received SangeetNatakAcademi Award (Puruskar) for Hindustani Instrumental Music.Quipped JayantKastuar, Secretary, SNA, “Haldipurji has hallmark of his venerable Guru Smt. Annapurna Devi, the daughter of the legendary master UstadAllauddin Khan.”

Mr. Haldipur, born in 1948 in Bombay, received training from Smt. Annupurna Devi, the eminent musician of the MaiharGharana. He is famous for his contemplative alap in the manner of Dhrupad and his distinctly formatted jodand jhala. Like Mr. Yashpaul, he too is a top-ranking artist of AIR and Doordarshan. He has presented recitals in a number of major festivals both in India and abroad.

Earlier, in the morning, Mrs. ShantaSarabjeet Singh, Vice-President and Mr. JayantKastuar, Secretary of SangeetNatakAcademi handed-over Tamrapatra, Angvastram and purse money of Rs. 3 Lakh to Rahim FahimuddinDagarat Fortis Hospital, VasantKunj. Mr. Dagar, a renowned Dhrupad musician, is one of the four recipients of Academy Fellowships(AkademiRatnaSadasyata) this year and could not attend the award ceremony yesterday due to his ill health.

Starting from today, the festival will showcase 26 performances by exceptional artists till 31st July. All the artists are recipients of SangeetNakakAcademi Fellowships and awards for this year. The fellowships and awards were conferred yesterday by the Vice-President of India.

The Akademi Fellowship (AkademiRatnaSadasyata) and Akademi Award (AkademiPuraskar) 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.

SangeetNatakAkademi, 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.