MUMBAI: Sangeet Natak Akademi, the apex body of performing arts and a national academy of music, dance and drama, was established in 1953 for the promotion, preservation and enrichment of the cultural heritage of India.
The publication programme of the Akademi includes books and monographs on the performing arts and the quarterly journal Sangeet Natak. Additionally, to promote publishing on music, dance and drama, the Akademi helps authors and publishers with grants for books and periodicals in English and Indian languages.
During the period under report the following publications were released; The Winged Form by S.K. Saxena (Reprint) (New Edition) {English}, Natyadarshan by Sangeeta Gundecha, Bharat Aur Unka Natyasastra by Braj Ballabh Mishr. Two issues of the quarterly journal Sangeet Natak were published.
Related Post
212 hours 25 minutes of video recording and 10 hours 43 minutes of audio recordings were added to the archives of the Akademi. The total holding of archives stands at 8389 hrs of video recording and 7929 hours of audio recording, 10,370 photographs in colour and Sangeet Natak Akademi black/white were added to the archives of the Akademi.
The Akademi Library, which caters chiefly to students and researchers in the performing arts, has acquired a specialized collection of books on performing arts. The library receives 150 Indian and foreign periodicals. The total collection of the Akademi Library is estimated at 24,826 books, excluding 1257 books received as gifts. The Audio Visual collection presently stands at 9,827 gramophone records (discs), 761 pre-recorded cassettes, 92 video cassettes, 1602 commercial audio cassettes, 165 gifted audio cassettes, 1,129 commercial compact discs (CDs), 30 gifted cds, 51 VCD, 29 gifted VCDs, 2 commercial DVDs and 32 gifted DVDs, on performing arts.
Since its inception, the Akademi has been acquiring objects and artifacts relating to performing arts. The museum holds more than 2300 objects comprising musical instruments, masks, puppets, headgear, costumes and other artifacts related to the performing arts, along with instruments received as gifts from foreign countries.
A training centre for rare instruments making has been established under master craftsman Guru Sri Dulal Kanji at Falta, Kolkata. Under him, three trainees are being trained in instrument- making, such as sarod, sitar, surbahar and sursingar. Digitalization of the museum objects has been completed and given access to students, scholars and researchers for work pertaining to research.
On the occasion of commemoration the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, the Natyanjali event was held in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Patna.
Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2010 was awarded to 33 young artistes on 7 March 2012 at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi. The presentation ceremony was followed by a weeklong festival of music, dance and theatre featuring some of the recipients, at Kamani Auditorium and Meghdoot Theatre Complex, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
The first phase of the Tagore Samman was held in Kolkata on 25 April 2012. His Excellency Shri M.K. Narayanan, Hon’ble Governor of West Bengal honoured 25 Fellows and 27 Sangeet Natak Awardees from eastern, north-eastern, central, northern and western regions of the country.
The second phase of the Tagore Samman was held on 2 May 2012 at the Music Academy, Chennai. His Excellency Dr. K. Rosaiah, Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu, honoured 16 Fellows and 15 Awardees at the ceremony.
Sangeet Natak Akademi and Ministry of Culture, Government of India in collaboration with Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, presented Rabindra Sangeet by Shri Agnibha Bandyopadhyay of Kolkata on 6 May 2012 at Bangladesh International Cultural Centre (BICC) and at Bangladesh Shilpkala Academi, Dacca, on 8 May 2012. Solo recitations, musical soirees and dance drama of Tagore were presented.
Chandalika, Akademi’s Sattriya Kendra, a Centre of Sattriya Dance, Music and Theatre, at Guwahati, presented a dance production in Sattriya style on 7th May 2012.
The Akademi celebrated the closing ceremony of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on 6 May 2012 at Meghdoot Theatre, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
Seraikella, Purulia and Mayurbhanj Chhau dances by artists of Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Chhau project were held on 23 June 2012.
A lecture-demonstration by Shri Shashadhar Acharya was held in Dharani Festival at Chennai on 24 June 2012.
Akademi Fellowships and Awards for 2011 were presented on 9 October 2012 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The Hon’ble President of India conferred the Fellowships to eleven eminent personalities and Akademi Awards to 36 practitioners of Music, Dance and Theatre. The ceremony was followed by an eight day festival of music, dance and drama featuring Fellows and Awardees of the year.
The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, in its meeting held on 21 December 2012 elected three eminent personalities in the field of performing arts, as Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna) and 36 individuals from the fields of music, dance, theatre and puppetry for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for the year 2012, in addition to selecting 33 recipients for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the year 2011.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, as a Nodal Agency of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, prepared its report on ‘The implementation of the Convention and on the Status of Elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Humanity’ covering the following eight elements, which were inscribed as of 2010, and transmitted to UNESCO secretariat on 12th December 2012; Kutiyattam, Sanskrit Theatre, The Tradition of Vedic Chanting, Ramlila – The Traditional Performance of the Ramayana, Novruz, Ramman: religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal, Chhau dance, Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan, Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala and Kathak Kendra, New Delhi.
Established in 1964, and a constituent unit of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Kathak Kendra is one of the leading institutions in the country for imparting training in Kathak dance. It also offers courses in allied subjects like vocal music and Pakhawaj. A refresher course of one year has been introduced for dance teachers and students of the Kendra who have completed the Diploma and desire to take Kathak dance teaching as a career.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, a constituent unit of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi and a premier institution for teaching of Manipuri dance, music, and allied subjects like Thang-ta celebrated its 58th Foundation Day on 1 April 2012 at the Academy Auditorium. Shri Lokeshwar Singh, Hon’ble Speaker Manipur Legislative Assembly and Shri N. Tombi Singh, Vice-Chairman graced the function.
This centre organized various programmes on Sattriya Dance at Guwahati and other nearby areas in the North Eastern states. It also organized programmes of Kutiyattam and Nangiar Kuthu performances. Outreach programmes were held at different venues in Kerala. Training programmes at different Gurukulams were regularly supported, along with skill development in the making of Kutiyattam costumes and ornaments.
Bodo Music and Dance of Assam by Bathau Afaat Krishti Sangha, Guwahati and Mizo Traditional Music and Dance of Mizoram by Mizo Cultural Club Vengthar, Mizoram were presented on 28 March 2012 at Shahid Bhawan, Assam.
Sangeet Natak Akademi North East Centre, Guwahati initiated a training programme in Khongjom Parva of Manipur under Smt Ibemni Devi, an Padmashree and Akademi Awardee on 1 July 2012 at Imphal. The Centre also presented a programme of classical and folk art forms on 23 December 2012 at the Akademi’s North East Centre in Guwahati.
