STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), L.K Advani on Saturday presented the Sopori Academy of Music And Performing Arts (SaMaPa) awards 2014 to various luminaries of Indian music.
The awards were presented in the SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan 2014 commenced with a glittering function last night in New Delhi at Kamani Auditorium.
Advani inaugurated the 10th Annual SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan.
SaMaPa awards are the exclusive national level honours pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir.
Music maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori, Prof. Aparna Sopori, DDG Doordarshan Dr. Rafiq Masoodi and Vice President SaMaPa and senior music critic Pt. Vijay Shanker Mishra were also present.
‘SaMaPa Vitasta Award 2014’ was presented to Pandit Debu Chaudhuri for his lifetime contribution to the field of Hindustani Classical Music-Sitar.
SaMaPa Award for contribution to folk culture was presented to Munir Ahmad Mir for his dedication and immense contribution to the Kashmiri light and folk music.
Subhra Mazumdar received the ‘SaMaPa Acharya Abhinavgupt Samman’ for her lifetime contribution to the field of music as a music critic.
‘SaMaPa Yuva Ratan Samman’ has been conferred upon the young vocalist Dhananjay Hegde for his achievements in the field of Hindustani Classical Music -Vocal.
‘SaMaPa Vitasta Award’ was given for unparallel contribution to Indian art and heritage. The award has been named after the historical river Vitasta of Kashmir also known as the Jehlum.
The honour carries cash award of Rs. 50,000.
‘SaMaPa Sher-e-Kashmir Award’ for regional contribution carries cash award of Rs. 25,000. ‘SaMaPa Acharya Abhinavgupt Samman’ is a special award named after Acharya Abhinavgupt of 10th century from Kashmir is given to music critics, musicologists and scholars for their extraordinary work towards music and performing arts.
The honour carries cash award of Rs. 11,000. ‘SaMaPa Yuva Ratan Samman’ has been instituted to recognize, encourage and felicitate the young generation artists of the country who are doing exceptionally well in their respective fields and carries cash award of Rs. 11,000.
SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan 2014 features concerts by Ajay Prasanna (Flute), Anjani Mishra, Nitin Sharma, Sameer Bhalerao, Dhananjay Hegde, Kaivalya Kumar (Vocal) Prateek Chaudhuri, Shubhendra Rao, Pt. Debu Chaudhuri (Sitar) Saskia Rao (Cello), Sugato Bhaduri (Mendolin) Rekha Nadgauda, Aditi Nadgauda Panse and Kirti Kala Mandir dance troupe (Kathak choreography) and Abhay Rustum Sopori and Pt. Bhajan Sopori (Santoor) amongst other.