President Droupadi Murmu presents Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships & Akademi Awards in New Delhi

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has said that Indian arts can spread peace and harmony in today's time which is full of tension and conflict. She added that Indian cultural values have become more useful in the modern era. President Murmu stated this while presenting the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Akademi Awards for the year 2019, 2020 and 2021 at a function in New Delhi yesterday.  She said, Indian arts are also the best example of India's soft power. 

The President also said, India's unique performing arts have kept  the country's incredible culture alive for centuries. She added that the arts and artists are the carriers of India's rich cultural heritage and unity in diversity is the biggest feature of the country's cultural traditions. The President said people should take pride in the fact that the oldest and best definitions and traditions of art have developed in the country.  

She said that just as nature’s gifts like air and water do not recognize human limitations, the art forms are also above language and geographical



boundaries.

On the occasion, eight eminent personalities were given Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships in the field of performing arts. A total of 128 artists from the field of music, dance, theatre, traditional, folk and puppetry were awarded with Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards. These Akademi Awards include three joint awards.

Y. Gee. Mahendra,   won the award for best acting,  Besides Makeup artist Ramkrishna receives Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from President Murmu for makeup in theatre.

Five eminent artists from Odisha were awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2020 and 2021.

Odissi dancer Rabindra Atibudhi and Chhau dancer Trilochan Mohanta received the award for the year 2020.

Similarly for 2021, singer Susmita Das was awarded for Sugam Sangeet while, Bijay Kumar Jena got the award for dance and Manoj Pattnaik for theatre direction. The Akademi also honoured 86 artistes with special one-time awards commemorating 75 years of India’s Independence.