Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards

Focus: GS-1: History, Art and Culture

Why in News?

The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi unanimously elected six (6) eminent personalities in the field of performing arts as Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna). 

• The Fellowship of the Akademi is a most prestigious and rare honour, which is restricted to 40 at any given time.
• It also selected 92 artists from the field of Music, Dance, Theatre, Traditional/Folk/Tribal Music/Dance/ Theatre, Puppetry and Overall contribution/scholarship in the Performing Arts for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the years 2022 & 2023.  
• Around 80 young artists were selected for Sangeet Natak Akademi Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2022 and 2023.

About Sangeet Natak Akademi:

• Sangeet Natak Akademi is the apex body in the field of performing arts in the country set up in 1953 .
• It is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Culture.
• Purpose:
  • For the preservation and promotion of the vast intangible heritage of India’s diverse culture expressed in forms of music, dance and drama.
• Chairman:
  • The Chairman of the Akademi is appointed by the President of India for a term of five years.
• Awards:
  • Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards:
    • These are the highest national recognition conferred on practising artists.
    • The Akademi Awards have been conferred since 1952.
    • These honours not only symbolize the highest standard of excellence and achievement, but also recognize sustained individual work and contribution.
    • The honour of Akademi Award carries a purse money of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.
    • The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Awards will be conferred by the President of India
  • The Akademi also confers Fellowships on eminent artists and scholars of music, dance and drama.
    • The honour of Akademi Fellow carries a purse money of Rs.3, 00, 000/- (Rupees three lakhs)
  • Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar:
    • It is an annual Indian award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi to outstanding artists under 40 who have demonstrated talent in the fields of music, dance and drama.
• Sangeet Natak Akademi also works with international organizations like UNESCO to preserve India’s cultural legacy.