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"Satellite communication can help train village students"

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Achieve a sustainable growth in the field of performing art: Kalam

— Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

AMID A GALAXY: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam with some of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2006 winners at a function in New Delhi on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: President A.P.J Abdul Kalam on Thursday called upon the Sangeet Natak Akademi to study how satellite communication could be effectively harnessed to use the expertise of established performers and teachers to train talented students in the remotest villages of the country. He asserted that the medium could also be used to spread the culture of villages to urban areas.

"In addition to the pure art topics, the Akademi also has to address the Intellectual Property rights and create avenues for sustained income for the artists. Development of `rasikas' itself is an important aspect of encouragement for artists in this world of electronic media and its strong hold on the masses," Mr. Kalam said at the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards function here.

Encyclopaedia on arts

He said that the new multi-media systems had become great tools for learning. "The website of Sangeet Natak Akademi has to be made into an encyclopaedia on arts, artists and related research and documentation. I would ask all of you who are in this field to contribute ... to achieve a sustainable growth in the field of performing art forms."

Pointing out that art had a social responsibility, Mr. Kalam said artists could play significant roles in this field. "Musicians can sing songs of development. Dramatist can give shape to the vision of the nation. The choreographers and dancers can portray development themes and educate rural population on many ideas such as hygiene, health, literacy," he said.

Stating that he was "happy" that the Akademi had decided to recognise young artists below the age of 35 through the institution of Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, Mr. Kalam said this would further encourage them to excel in their specialisation of high-level music, dance or theatre.

"Archives of the Sangeet Natak Akademi are indeed a treasure. It has brought out under the title "Master Musician of India" and "Instruments of India" a number of CDs. I suggest the Sangeet Natak Akademi bring out at least 100 tribute discs celebrating our artists and musicians from various parts of the country before 2010. This should be made available on Pravasi Bharatiya Divas through the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. This will motivate our artists to give performance in various parts of the world," he said.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi honoured five renowned artists with the Akademi Ratna at the function. The Akademi Fellowships were conferred on Gursharan Singh, an eminent theatre personality from Punjab; Kishan Maharaj for his contribution to music; Rohini Bhate, a renowned Kathak exponent; and T.N. Krishnan also for his contribution to music. N. Khelchandra Singh was conferred the Akademi Ratna for his work in keeping alive Manipuri culture.

List of awardees:

Music: Vijay Kumar Kichlu — Hindustani Music (Vocal); Rashid Khan — Hindustani Music (Vocal); Shahid Parvez Khan — Hindustani Instrumental Music (Sitar); Kumar Bose — Hindustani Instrumental Music (Tabla); D. Pasupathi — Carnatic Music (Vocal); Chingleput Ranganathan — Carnatic Music (Vocal);

Chitravina N. Ravikiran — Carnatic Instrumental Music (Gottuvadyam); Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam — Carnatic Instrumental Music (Mridangam).

Dance: Narmada — Bharatanatyam; Munna Shukla — Kathak; Kottakakkal Chandra Sekharan — Kathakali; Surendra Nath Jena — Odissi; Pasumarthy Rattaiah Sarma — Kuchipudi; Kalamandalam Vimala Menon — Mohiniattam; Gorima Hazarika — Creative and Experimental Dance; Kalamandalam Gangadharan — Music for Dance (Kathakali Pattu).

Theatre: Prabhat Kumar Bhattacharya — Playwriting; E. Joychandra Singh — Direction; R. Nagesh — Direction; Amitava Dasgupta — Direction; Dharani Barman — Acting; Gita Dey — Acting; K. Kaladharan Nair — Acting; Gautam Bhattacharya — Allied Theatre Arts (Lighting).

Traditional/Folk/Tribal Dance/Music/Theatre/and Puppetry: Kalyanapuram R. Aravamudan — Hari Katha (Tamil Nadu); Emerson Thangkhiew — Traditional Dance (Meghalaya); K. Mangi Singh — Pena — Traditional Music (Manipur); Om Prakash Sharma — Mach (Madhya Pradesh); Syed Iqbal Malangami — Folk Music (Jammu and Kashmir); Sarif Idu Chundhar — Dhadi Folk Music (Punjab); Het Ram Tanwar — Folk Music (Himachal Pradesh); Naurang Bhat (since dead) — Puppetry ( Rajasthan).

Overall contribution/Scholarship in the performing arts: Rekha Jain — Overall Contribution to Performing Arts.

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