Sangeet Natak Akademi Names Seven Fellows, Honours 108 Artistes for 2024-25

The Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, has elected seven distinguished artistes as Akademi Fellows and announced 108 recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for 2024 and 2025 , recognising outstanding contributions to the performing arts across the country.

The newly elected Akademi Fellows , the institution's highest and most prestigious honour, are Kathak dancer Ramlal Bareth , vocalist and dancer Rita Ganguly , Carnatic musician A.V. Anand , Kathak exponent Puru Dadheech , vocalist Chittaranjan Jyotishi , Kuchipudi maestro Pasumarthi Rattaiah Sarma , and Bharatanatyam dancer Sudharani Raghupathy . The fellowship is restricted to a maximum of 40 living recipients at any given time.

The Akademi also selected 108 artistes for its annual awards for 2024 and 2025, spanning music, dance, theatre, folk, tribal and traditional art forms, puppetry, scholarship and allied performing arts.

Among the notable 2024 awardees are flautist Rakesh Chaurasia , singer Nirmalya Dey , choreographer Shashidharan Nair , Odissi dancer Bichitrananda Swain , actor Vaagai Chandrasekar , folk dancer Gulabo Sapera , and Mohiniyattam exponent Sunanda Nair .

Prominent 2025 award recipients include vocalist Suresh Gandharv , shehnai player Shailesh Bhagwat , Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Krishnakumar , Sattriya dancer Mallika Kandali , theatre directors Kallol Bhattacharya and Subodh Patnaik , shadow puppeteer Sindhe Chithambara Rao , and art critic Manjari Sinha .

In a statement, the Akademi said the Fellows and awardees represent diverse regions, traditions and artistic disciplines from across India, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the nation.

The Akademi Fellowship carries a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh , while the Akademi Award includes Rs 1 lakh , a tamrapatra and an angavastram . The honours will be conferred by the President of India at a special investiture ceremony.

The Akademi's General Council also selected 106 young artistes for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2024 and 2025.