Music Academy announces Sangita Kalanidhi awards

Renowned vocalist and guru, Neyveli R Santanagopalan, eminent mridangam artiste and guru, ‘Tiruvarur’ Bhakthavathsalam, and Lalgudi violin duo, G J R Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi were on Sunday named for the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi awards of the Music Academy for 2020, 2021, and 2022.

The Academy also announced that it plans to hold physical events during the Annual Music Festival this year – they were held in virtual mode in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Santanagopalan will receive the Sangita Kalanidhi award for the year 2020 while Bhakthavathsalam has been chosen for the award for the year 2021. Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi, “torchbearers of the Lalgudi lineage of violinists and renowned performers” will receive the award for 2022.

For the Sangita Kala Acharya awards, the Academy has chosen nagaswaram exponent Kivalur N G Ganesan (2020), vocalist, musicologist, and guru Dr Ritha Rajan (2021), and vainika and musicologist Dr R S Jayalakshmi (2022).

Noted vocalist and guru Thamarakkad Govindan Namboodri, versatile percussionist Nemani Somayajulu, and noted Kanjra artiste A V Anand will receive the T T K Award for 2020, 2021, and 2022 respectively.

The Musicologist award for 2020 will be presented to Dr V Premalatha for the year 2020. Nritya Kalanidhi will be presented to Bharatanatyam exponents Rama Vaidyanathan (2020) and Narthaki Nataraj (2021). Bragha Bessell, widely respected Abhinaya expert and guru, will be awarded the prize for 2022.

Chief Minister M K Stalin will present the awards while inaugurating the 96th Annual Conference and Concerts on December 15, 2022, N Murali, President, Music Academy, said in a press release.

He also added that the annual Music Festival will be held from December 15, 2022, to January 1, 2023, and the Dance Festival from January 3 to January 9, 2023.