Nritya Samragini Sitara Devi & Multifaceted Musical Legend T V Gopalakrishnan Conferred Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award 2011
Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award 2011
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Nritya Samragini Sitara Devi & Multifaceted Musical Legend T V Gopalakrishnan were today conferred the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 for Sangeet. The award instituted in 2002 is conferred to a living legend, recognized Nationally and Internationally for highest standard of excellence, significant and sustained individual contribution to the practice and appreciation of these arts through teaching. The eminent artists will now be among the 23 luminaries who have been the recipient of this prestigious award.
Sitara Devi has been conferred the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011 for her great contribution in the development of KATHAK form of dancing. Nritya Samragyi Sitara Devi has developed her own style of dancing drawing from the treasure trove of themes, poetry, and choreography creatively analyzing and assimilating the environment around her. She is a living legend who has achieved unparallel international recognition
T. V. Gopalakrishnan has been. conferred the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011 for his lifetime dedication towards promoting Indian Classical Music through Mridangam. TVG, a Mridangam maestro par excellence, is also the first artiste who gives successful concerts as a vocalist, violinist and on Mridangam besides mastery in Hindustani system of music. He has been unique in having spotted many prodigies and talents in Music, creating the next generation of achievers in music. He is a multifaceted musical legend!
Speaking on the occasion Dipayan Majumdar, Founder, Legends of India, said "by honoring these eminent artists we are actually honoring ourselves, it is our pride and privilege to get these opportunity in showing respect to these living legends".
Soli J Sorabjee, Patron and Chairman of the Festival, himself a keen lover of music, said "Sitara Devi has enthralled generations with her unique dance style. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore rightly described her as the Nritya Samragini, the Empress of Dance. The epithet continues, and she is still described as the Queen of Kathak". "it is a great honour for us to have Sitara Devi Ji among us."
Lalit Mansingh, patron and member of the selection committee describing the criteria said "The Selection Committee had a difficult task in choosing the 2011 awardees. They finally selected Sitara Devi for her unparallel contribution to music and TVG - who is one of the most versatile vocalists cum musicians, excelling in both Hindustani and Carnatic music".
Among the awardees in the past are Chandralekha, Girija Devi, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, M.K.Saroja, Vidwan T.M. Thiagaranjan, Yeshwant Balkrisna Joshi to name only a few.
Chaired by Soli J Sorabjee (Former Attorney General of India), the Selection Committee for the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 comprised of Lalit Mansingh (Former Foreign Secretary), Shanta Serbjeet Singh (Vice Chairperson -Sangeet Natak Akademi), Leela Venkatraman (Dance Critic), Ashok Vajpeyi (Chairman - Lalit Kala Akademi), Dr. Varsha Das (Educationist), Suresh K Goel (DG, ICCR) and GS Rajan (Flautist and Music Critic).
The award ceremony will be followed by Legends of India Annual Sangeet Mahotsab beginning Friday September 2, 2011 at Kamani Auditorium featuring -
September 2, 2011 - 6:30 PM
A Tribute to Pt Bhimsen Joshi by:
Shrinivas Joshi & Anand Bhate
'Master of Winds'- A Classical Fusion of blowing instruments (Flute, Saxophone & Clarionet) by Pt. Ronu Majumdar, Dr. Pandith Narasimhalu Vadavati,
Saxophone Sisters: MS Lavanya, MS Subbalaxmi
September 3, 2011 - 6:30 PM
'The Legacy of Rhythm' - A Tabla Jugalbandi by Pt. Shankar Ghosh and Bickram Ghosh
"Husn-e-Haqiqi" Sufi Kathak by: Manjari Chaturvedi
September 4, 2011 - 6:30 PM
'Ghazal & Classical Vocal' Jugalbandi by Talat Aziz & Ustad Rashid Khan
The Festival will be held at the Kamani Auditorium.
Notes to Editor
About Legends of India
Legends of India was registered in 1999 to popularize the rich cultural heritage of India, nurture Indian art forms and create awareness among the new generations. There was, and still is, a crying need to salvage the traditional art forms from oblivion.
In its thirteen years of existence, Legends of India has organized Live Concerts of Music, Dance, Theatre Festivals and Fine Art Exhibitions across the country.
Legends of India is working towards building a multi-purpose Art and Cultural Complex which will operate as a Centre of Excellence to build a culturally vibrant society.