AGARTALA, Dec 7 (TIWN): Altogether sixty-six artist from all across the nation in various categories of performing cultural activity were awarded with Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2014 by Sangeet Natak Akademi at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan.

Speaking at the programme, Governor Tathagata Roy appreciated the initiatives taken by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Besides, he also mentioned that this kind of initiatives encourages the artist to do their best in their flied and also provide recognition to the artist.

Sangeet Natak Akademi, the national academy for music, dance and drama had instituted the awards in 2006 in memory of shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan who died in August that year.

While addressing the crowd, highlighting the work of Rabindranath Tagore, Governor Tathagata Roy urges Sangeet Natak Akademi to introduce an award on Ranbindranath Tagore so that the artist of Rabindra Sangeet can also get recognition.

Responding about the thought of Governor, Chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi Sekhar Sen said that from the next year the Akademi will take an initiative to introduce an award on Rabindranath Tagore.

It is to be mentioned here that Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is the third best award of the Sangeet Natok Akademi.

The programme will continue till December 12. The six-day long programme has been organized with the joint initiatives of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama and Department of Information and Cultural Affairs.  

However, Governor Tathagata Roy and Chairperson Sekhar Sen have awarded all the sixty-six awardees.

It is to be mentioned here that Hindustani Vocal Arshad Ali Khan, Dhananjaya Hegde, Prashant & Nishant Mallick (Joint Award), Hindustani Instrumental: Tabla Ojas Adhiya, Himanshu Mahant, Hindustani Instrumental: Sitar Sahana Banerjee, Hindustani Instrumental: Sarangi Sabir Khan, Carnatic Vocal Amritha Murali and eight others were awarded in the field of Music.

Besides, for Bharatnatyam Lavanya Shankar, Lakshmi Parthasarathy Athreya, Souvik Chakraborty, Sandeep Mahavir for Kathak, Kalamandalam Arun Warrier for Kathakali, Prateeksha Kashi and Mosalikanti Jaikishore for Kuchipudi, Rajashri Prahraj Odissi and eight others for the field of Dance.

For the field of theatre, Purva Naresh for Playwright, Jehan Maneckshaw, Ashwath Bhatt, Aloka Agnibesh, Dakshayani Bhat A, Abhishek Bharti and Randhir Kumar for Direction and eleven others were awarded.

However, Delong Padung for Folk Music (Arunachal Pradesh), M. Kali for  Traditional/Folk Dance (Tamil Nadu), Rashid Jehangir for Folk Music (Jammu & Kashmir), Warsi Brothers – Joint Award  (Asad Khan Warsi & Amjad Khan Warsi) for Qawwali (Andhra Pradesh) and 12 others were awarded in the field of Traditional/ Folk/ Tribal Dance/ Music/ Theatre and Puppetry.